Three new NBA players returned confirmed positive COVID-19 tests during the last week, the NBA and NBPA announced today in a press release.
When the league and the players’ union last announced testing results on April 14, there had been zero new cases during the preceding week, so this is a slight step in the wrong direction for the NBA. Still, it hasn’t resulted in any postponed games.
The league and the union don’t publicly identify the specific players who tested positive for the coronavirus, but a report last week indicated that Bulls guard Zach LaVine was of them. He remains in the health and safety protocols and out of Chicago’s lineup.
An increasing number of players around the NBA are receiving vaccination shots, so the hope is that the number of weekly positive tests won’t continue to increase before the end of the season.
They haven’t been announced as positive tests but Nicolas Claxton and Reggie Perry of the Nets are in the protocols. That could just mean they had contact with someone.
Kevin Porter is also, which will help with his team tanking.