NBA News: Sacramento Kings reportedly dealing with a COVID outbreak, multiple players and staff members like Marvin Bagley and Alvin Gentry in health and safety protocols
The Sacramento Kings have run into COVID trouble with a majority of their stars and staff entering health and safety protocols.
The Kings were without interim coach Alvin Gentry and forwards Terence Davis and Marvin Bagley III for Wednesday night's game, a 119-105 home win over the Washington Wizards.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, there are:
“potentially multiple additional players and staff entering protocols. There are some symptomatic cases.”
Sources: The Sacramento Kings are having a COVID-19 outbreak of multiple positive tests among players and staffers, including Marvin Bagley, Alvin Gentry — with potentially multiple additional players and staff entering protocols. There are some symptomatic cases.
Any player or staff member under health and safety protocols must be sidelined for a minimum of 10 days or until they produce two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Players who are not fully vaccinated must also enter health and safety protocols if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
The league is working on tighter restrictions for players who have not yet received their booster shots.
Terence Davis was the third member of the Sacramento Kings organization behind coach Alvin Gentry and teammate Marvin Bagley III to enter health and safety protocols. With the increasing number of Sacramento members getting COVID, the league is beginning to label it as an outbreak.
Are the Sacramento Kings alone with this outbreak?
The Kings are not the only ones in this position as there has been an uptick in COVID cases around the league.
The Chicago Bulls were forced to postpone their games against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors (originally scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday). Since the beginning of December, 10 players from Chicago's roster have entered health and safety protocols.
Seven Brooklyn Nets players are in the protocols. That left the Nets with only eight active players (the league minimum for a game) when they hosted the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. The Nets won 131-129 in overtime behind 34 points from Kevin Durant. They also have many staff members, including front-office personnel, in the protocols.
Five Charlotte Hornets were in health and safety protocols but have since been cleared.
Many front-office staff from the LA Lakers, as well as players Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard and Malik Monk, are in the protocols. All three players entered health and safety protocols on Dec. 14.
The Milwaukee Bucks are playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo and Wesley Matthews as of Dec. 14 as well.
The New York Knicks are without Kevin Knox II, Quentin Grimes, R.J. Barrett and Obi Toppin. All were forced into protocols within the same week.
The Toronto Raptors are without Precious Achiuwa because of close contact with someone who tested positive. Their president, Masai Ujiri, has also entered protocols.
Kings cancelled morning shoot-around and team is testing to discover if there are more positive tests, sources tell ESPN. There’s no decision yet on an acting head coach for tonight, although assistants Mike Longabardi and Doug Christie are most likely candidates.
The entire league seems to be experiencing a new wave.
The NBA and National Basketball Players Associatoin have been in talks for increased regular testing for all players and staff. The league has also imposed a deadline for players to receive booster shots. Hopefully, this means a safer future for the Sacramento Kings and the rest of the league.