On the Friday of last week, the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Toronto Raptors but Kevin Durant was pulled from the game in the third quarter because of contact tracing.
It was reported that Durant was with an employee of the team who tested positive for COVID-19. Durant was without a mask while in a vehicle with this employee prior to the positive test result.
Durant was warming up before Friday’s game but the league office notified the Nets GM Sean Marks to remove Durant from warm-ups because the team employee had a inconclusive test. Durant was tested all week and stayed testing negative.
While the employee’s test was inconclusive, Durant was later allowed to enter the game. Durant checked into the game with 4:13 remaining in the first quarter. He logged 8 pts (FG 3-8), 6 reb, and 5 asts in 19 minutes before being pulled within the first few minutes of the third quarter.
This is when Durant found out that he couldn’t play because of contract tracing and the employee had a confirmed positive test result for COVID-19. The game continued as the Raptors defeated the Nets 123-117.
Risky decisions were made from both Durant and the NBA. Durant should’ve had a mask on during the three different car trips he had with the team employee. Also, the NBA shouldn’t allow a player to play if a test is inconclusive based on contact tracing. It’s putting lives at risk which could’ve been avoided if the NBA waited for the test to come back.
Durant was pulled for contact tracing and it was mindless to continue on with the game after players from both teams had close contact with Durant. Here are James Harden’s thoughts after the game:
Durant will return to the Nets this Friday after quarantining for seven days.
Another issue I have with the NBA regarding the health and safety protocols is the schedule. It was a smart idea to have a two game series between two teams within a few days to limit travel. This is something the MLB has been doing for years before the coronavirus. However, the schedule is flawed because teams are still playing back-to-backs against different teams.
COVID-19 has been around for a over a year and we’ve learned that a lot can happen in one day. A player can test negative today with no symptoms but test positive tomorrow feeling the same.
The NFL, for example have games scheduled weekly. Despite being a league with far more players and staff than the NBA, they were able to contain some of the positive test results because games were once a week. The regular NBA schedule is unfit during a pandemic. Games should be spaced out a little more to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
I would like to see if the NBA can refine the second half of the NBA schedule. I understand that the NBA wants to stay on course and finish the season on time but the health of players, team staff, and personnel should always be the priority.
It’s frustrating as an NBA fan after seeing how successful the Orlando bubble was without a single positive test, but now without a bubble the NBA needs to be more mindful of the rules they set in place.
It was recently announced that the all-star game will be held in Atlanta and LeBron James has voiced his frustration with the league and players’ association agreeing to proceed with the game: “I have zero energy and zero excitement about an all-star game this year…”
We’ll see how the players’ body languages are when they hit the court as the event is scheduled for March 7. Will it be interesting to see our favorite all-stars compete? Sure. Is it a necessary game to have during a pandemic? No.
Great article. I agree, the safety of all involved should be top priority and Durant should have never been allowed to play based on the unknown.