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COVID-19 Updates: Suns, Blazers, Rockets, Wolves, More

December 26th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest health and safety protocols updates from around the NBA:

Entering the protocols:

Jae Crowder and Elfrid Payton have become the first two Suns players to enter the COVID-19 protocols, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
The Trail Blazers‘ outbreak continues to grow, with Jusuf Nurkic and Cody Zeller among the players now in the protocols, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Seven Portland players have been placed in the protocols since Friday.
Rockets guard Garrison Mathews became the second Houston guard to enter the protocols today, joining teammate D.J. Augustin, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).
Timberwolves big man Naz Reid is now in the health and safety protocols, bringing Minnesota’s list of affected players up to eight, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
The Thunder announced today that they’ve placed rookie guard Tre Mann in the protocols. Oklahoma City now has two players affected — Mann and Darius Bazley.

Exiting the protocols:

Point guard De’Aaron Fox returned to action on Sunday when the Kings hosted Memphis. Fox had been in the health and safety protocols since December 16.
A pair of Timberwolves – Patrick Beverley and Josh Okogie – are no longer in the health and safety protocols, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. They’re both listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. Boston.
Clippers forward Marcus Morris has cleared the health and safety protocols, though he remained inactive on Sunday as he goes through a reconditioning period, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
Cavaliers wing RJ Nembhard was no longer listed on the team’s injury report on Sunday and played vs. Toronto, so he’s out of the protocols. Isaac Okoro has exited the protocols too, though he’s still working his way back, according to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff (Twitter link via Kelsey Russo of The Athletic).

COVID-19 Updates: Osman, Lyles, Maxey, Kings, Aldridge, Mavericks

December 25th, 2021 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

If the Cavaliers are able to host the Raptors Sunday afternoon, both teams will have a shell of their normal lineups. Cavs forward Cedi Osman has become the team’s eighth player in the league’s health and safety protocols, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. He joins Jarrett Allen, Ed Davis, Evan Mobley, RJ Nembhard, Isaac Okoro, Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler.

Toronto’s roster is even more strained, with 10 players currently in protocols. Khem Birch, Isaac Bonga, and Justin Champagnie were placed in the protocols earlier today, joining Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Malachi Flynn, Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent Jr. and Fred VanVleet. Toronto will have to finalize 10-day hardship contracts with at least one more player before game time to reach the league roster minimum of eight.

There’s more COVID-19 news from around the league:

Pistons forward Trey Lyles entered the protocols Saturday, becoming the team’s sixth player this week to do so, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Lyles is coming off his best game since signing with Detroit in the offseason, posting 28 points, eight rebounds and four blocks Thursday night. Sankofa expects rookie Luka Garza and possibly Jamorko Pickett to see more playing time while Lyles is unavailable.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has also been placed in the protocols, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Maxey has taken over as point guard in the absence of Ben Simmons and has started 28 of the 29 games he has played in his second NBA season.
Kings forwards Marvin Bagley III and Louis King have cleared protocols and should be available Sunday, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Terence Davis has been cleared as well, Anderson tweets.
Nets coach Steve Nash said veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge has either exited the protocols or is close, but will need time for conditioning before he can resume playing, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link).
Josh Green has joined his Mavericks teammates in Utah after clearing protocols, but won’t be active for tonight’s game, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). He’s expected to be able to play during the rest of the team’s road trip.
Mavericks assistant coach Kristi Toliver tweeted on Christmas that she contracted COVID-19.

Alvin Gentry Clears COVID-19 Protocols, Could Return Sunday

December 25th, 2021 at 3:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Kings interim head coach Alvin Gentry has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols and expects to resume coaching Sacramento for the team’s game tomorrow against the Grizzlies, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Woj notes that Gentry has missed the past five Sacramento contests since first testing positive for COVID-19 10 days ago.

The Kings have gone 2-3 under the tutelage of assistant coach Doug Christie, who took over for Gentry while he quarantined.

The team’s record under Gentry overall this season is 7-9, which includes the five games with Christie coaching in Gentry’s stead. At 13-20 for the season (Gentry replaced previous head coach Luke Walton in November), the Kings are the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference, just one game behind the tenth-seeded Spurs as the race to make the league’s play-in bracket heats up.

Pacific Notes: Holmes, Payton, Atkinson, Bridges

December 24th, 2021 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings center Richaun Holmes returned to Sacramento’s lineup on Wednesday night after missing seven games due to a right eye injury that required a surgical procedure. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, Holmes described the injury as “a lot more serious than I originally thought” and suggested it may have a lasting impact on his game-day look going forward.

“I don’t think I’ll ever play a game without goggles, honestly, but the face mask, I’m going to kind of stay in touch with the doctors on that and see how they feel,” said Holmes, who wore protective eyewear and a face mask on Wednesday. “But I don’t think I’ll ever play another game without goggles after this experience.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

The Warriors are expected to guarantee Gary Payton II‘s $1.94MM salary for the 2021/22 season by hanging onto him beyond next month’s league-wide salary guarantee date, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated writes in a profile of the guard. Spears adds that there has “been talk” of Golden State signing Payton to a longer deal, but he’s not extension-eligible, so that would have to wait until he reaches unrestricted free agency during the 2022 offseason.
Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, who had been away from the team due to a leg injury, returned to the front of the bench on Thursday night, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at how Suns forward Mikal Bridges has improved on the defensive end and become one of the best perimeter stoppers in the NBA. It looks more and more like the Suns got a bargain when they locked up Bridges to a four-year, $90MM extension prior to the 2021/22 season.

Kings Had Interest In Danuel House

December 23rd, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Before Danuel House signed a 10-day deal with the Knicks, he received interest from a number of other teams, including the Sixers, Lakers, and Kings, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Both Kings Equipment Managers Contracted COVID-19

December 23rd, 2021 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

In a well-reported story on the impact of the NBA’s COVID-19 surge, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Baxter Holmes share a number of interesting anecdotes, including how both Kings equipment managers contracted COVID-19 and couldn’t work, forcing the team to temporarily transfer those duties to a video room intern and a game-night attendant.

Three Potential Trade Spots For Buddy Hield

December 22nd, 2021 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

With trade rumors heating up again for Buddy Hield, Mark Schindler of Basketball News examines three potential destinations for the Kings guard. Schindler suggests deals that would send Hield to the Magic, Grizzlies or Pistons.

Richaun Holmes' Return Appears Imminent

December 22nd, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are optimistic that center Richaun Holmes will be available on Wednesday night for their game against the Clippers, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Holmes, currently listed as questionable, has missed Sacramento’s last seven games due to a laceration to his right eye. Given how many players the Kings are currently missing, the big man’s return would be a boon.
Given how many players are getting a chance to sign 10-day contracts this week, the idea of the Kings bringing back Tyreke Evans is an intriguing one. However, as Anderson explains in a separate article for The Sacramento Bee, Evans hasn’t yet been cleared following his ban from the NBA and faces a lengthy reinstatement process. We reported earlier in the month that Evans is seeking reinstatement after being disqualified and dismissed by the league in 2019.

Kings Sign Ade Murkey To 10-Day Contract

December 22nd, 2021 at 1:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

DECEMBER 22: Murkey’s 10-day contract is now official, per a press release from the Kings. It’ll run through December 31.

DECEMBER 21: The Kings will add free agent shooting guard Ade Murkey on a 10-day hardship deal, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 23-year-old swingman currently plays for Sacramento’s G League affiliate in Stockton, where he’s averaging 11.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12 games.

Undrafted out of Denver in 2020, Murkey signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Timberwolves last December, but was waived before the season started and spent the year in the G League. He signed with the Kings in October and was waived two days later.

Sacramento has been hit hard by COVID-19 this month and currently has seven players in the health and safety protocols.

Kings Sign Emmanuel Mudiay Via Hardship Exception

December 22nd, 2021 at 1:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

DECEMBER 22: Mudiay’s 10-day deal is now official, the Kings announced in a press release.

DECEMBER 21: Veteran point guard Emmanuel Mudiay is set to ink a new 10-day contract with the Kings via hardship exception, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).

Mudiay was drafted with the seventh overall pick by the Nuggets in 2015 after playing for the CBA’s Guangdong Southern Tigers. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2016, but struggled to find a consistent place on the Denver roster as the club’s fortunes improved with the development of All-Star center Nikola Jokic and elite shooting guard Jamal Murray. Mudiay, still just 25, has also played for the Knicks and Jazz.

The 6’3″ guard holds career averages of 11.0 PPG, 3.8 APG and 2.9 RPG across 300 games, 165 of them starts. He boasts a career NBA shooting line of .401/.323/.759.

The five-year NBA vet’s last stint in the league came with the Jazz during the 2019/20 season. Mudiay most recently suited up for Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas this year, but split with the team last month.

Woj adds that the team expects Mudiay to be available as soon as Wednesday against the Clippers for a very short-handed Sacramento team.

Per our health and safety protocols tracker, the Kings have seven players in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols as of this writing: star point guard De’Aaron Fox, intriguing rookie guard Davion Mitchell, wings Terence Davis and Louis King, and big men Marvin Bagley III, Alex Len and Neemias Queta. The team is also without 67-year-old interim head coach Alvin Gentry, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Assistant coach Doug Christie has coached the team in Gentry’s stead.