Harrison Barnes announced Tuesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the fourth Sacramento Kings player in the days and weeks leading up to the restart of the NBA in Orlando, Florida.
“I have been mainly asymptomatic and am doing well,” Barnes wrote in a tweet. “I am quarantined and abiding by the security protocol until I am authorized to act. I hope to join my team in Orlando when it is safe to do so! Stay safe out there.”
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– Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) July 14, 2020
Previously, Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker and Alex Len were all positive for the virus too.
Kings coach Luke Walton revealed last week that a fourth member of the 36-person traveling group in Sacramento initially did not join the Orlando team, but did not identify Barnes.
Hield and Parker have reported to Orlando and must return two negative tests and not show any symptoms before they can return to action. Len is currently in Sacramento, a championship source told ESPN.
“They both had their first test and we are now only following the NBA guidelines as far as we hope to get them back soon,” Walton said on Sunday.
Walton said it would limit their participation when they were liquidated as a preventive measure.
“We are probably going to do an individual job and make sure we are at a physical level before we throw them in,” Walton said. “Remember, we will already be on the 5th or 6th day, so we have to make sure they are physically ready to go.”
According to the NBA guidelines, two weeks after a player has tested positive, he is given cardiac screening. At the time of cardiac screening, a team has seven days to determine whether the player will join the team or choose to sign a replacement player in his place.
So far, it has been an inconvenience to start life in the bubble for kings. Over the weekend, the Richaun Holmes center inadvertently broke the perimeter of the NBA campus to collect food. The infringement forced Holmes to restart the quarantine for another 10 days before he could return to rehearsal.
“I apologize for my actions and can’t wait to join my teammates for our push to the playoffs,” tweeted Holmes on Monday.
After going 7-3 in his last 10 games before the March hiatus, Sacramento is currently 3½ games away from the Memphis Grizzlies for seat no. 8 in the Western Conference playoff. At the end of the eight seeding games to end the regular season, the team that is in ninth place can force a play-in with the team in eighth place provided that team n. 9 is within four matches of the No 8 teams in the standings.
The team n. 9 was supposed to beat team no. 8 two games in a row to earn a playoff spot in the first round. The team n. 8 should only win once to keep the post season spot.
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