The Washington Wizards have six players who tested positive for COVID-19, making it a total of nine players who meet the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Wizards had postponed their next two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers – originally scheduled for Sunday and Monday – on Friday. Washington has postponed four consecutive games since last playing in Phoenix on January 11.
“It’s just an unfortunate set of circumstances,” Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said in a video interview with reporters. “If you follow our track really back to when we played Chicago [Dec. 29 and 31], almost every team we’ve played tested a player positive. The next day [and] the next day, multiple players in some places. It was inevitable.
“The NBA has been pointing to this period for some time that this was going to be very difficult. And they weren’t kidding. Every city we went to just seemed to be getting more and more. You never want to say ‘well, we got out.’ or “nothing has gone wrong yet” because you just know that something will inevitably be your turn and unfortunately this was our turn. “
The Wizards canceled practice on Tuesday before the league decided to postpone Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz. The wizards called the attacker Rui Hachimura and center Moe Wagner questionable because of the health and safety protocols in the injury report.
Sheppard said the team heard it hit six positive player cases on Friday. The team hopes that if there are no new positive cases on Saturday, the players who are not quarantined and the safety protocols can return to the facility for individual training.
Even if the Wizards were allowed to return to the field to practice, they don’t have enough players to practice with so many players who are either injured, like Russell Westbrook (quad), or in quarantine or safety protocol.
Westbrook will be re-evaluated early next week.
“In terms of activity, we have been very limited, to zero, in terms of returning to the facility,” said Sheppard. “Certainly the players who are in quarantine, the players with COVID don’t even come out. If there is no positive test tomorrow, we can get guys back in the gym 1-on-0.”
“I think four teams have missed several games,” Sheppard added. “And so far I would think that’s a small victory given what’s going on and what could happen.”