NBA News: Rob Pelinka hints that all LA Lakers players aren't vaccinated yet; what are the possible implications?
Speaking to media today, Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka discussed a number of developments in regards to his team preparing for the upcoming 2021-22 NBA Season. One of the most notable questions asked to Pelinka was in regards to the player's health, specifically COVID-19, and whether his team was fully vaccinated yet.
Rob Pelinka says that by opening night against the Warriors, the Lakers expect their entire roster to be fully vaccinated. Which would suggest with training camp just days away, all of the Lakers’ players are not currently fully vaccinated.
It's becoming a situation that is quickly turning into a crucial one. With the NBA laying down some strict rules in terms of vaccination status and protocols, it's going to be important to keep an eye on the status of players on a nightly basis. Specific markets such as New York and San Francisco have even come out and put their foot down when it comes to the issue. On September 1st, the NBA announced that unvaccinated members of teams such as the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Golden State Warriors would be "prohibited from playing or practicing in their home arenas."
Going off of the report above from Dave McMenamin, it would suggest that the Los Angeles Lakers roster is yet to be fully vaccinated. This is also important because of the time frame that comes with the the process of becoming "fully vaccinated."
I think an important distinction here is that the "fully vaccinated" status reflects the 3-4 week period after a second shot dose (or one dose of Johnson and Johnson). So this would imply that every player will have their shots around the start of camp next week. twitter.com/kylegoon/statu…
How could this impact the Lakers for the 2021-22 NBA Season?
Training camp is expected to begin for the majority of the NBA on September 28th. That means the time frame for these players to decide whether or not they want to get the vaccine is rapidly approaching. When it comes to the Lakers and their veteran roster, it's going to be a year in which this team can't afford for important parts of their rotation to be missing extended time. The Lakers dealt with nagging injuries throughout the 2020-21 NBA season, something that paid a toll on them when it came time for the NBA Playoffs. An early exit in the Playoffs last year was a major reason GM Rob Pelinka was so aggressive in addressing this roster's depth during the offseason.
After an offseason in which the Lakers went out and added a number of veteran pieces, health is going to be more important than ever. With the Western Conference continuing to get stronger and more competitive each and every year, the Lakers know they need to be firing on all cylinders to position themselves towards the top of the standings at the end of the year. If the Lakers can keep themselves healthy, when it comes to avoiding setbacks on and off the court, they will be one of the most dangerous teams in the entire league.