“It’s not just Charlotte, but it’s across the whole league. We also saw it in Indiana with the absence of Rick Carlisle. It’s real. You have to prepare for it, make the necessary adjustments, and have the mentality where each player must be ready to replace another. There are outright teams that no longer have enough players ”.
The observation made by Jason Kidd after returning from the Mavs’ road trip at the end of last week sums up the general feeling. Every day, the NBA now wakes up with its share of quarantines. Charlotte was the first team to be significantly impacted by health protocol, and the scenario is repeating itself more and more, in Chicago, Brooklyn and now Milwaukee.
This Tuesday morning, 51 players were affected by the health protocol. 41 of them have already missed games for this reason. And what had to happen, happened: while the league nevertheless posted a rate of 97% of vaccinated players, the first postponements of matches were pronounced.
A predictable scenario?
Even if the pressure increases as the days go by, franchise managers are turning their backs on a peak after Christmas and New Year’s Day, with on the one hand the spread of the Omicron variant, which is more resistant to different vaccines, and family reunions due to the holiday season that contribute to the spread of the virus.
“It was expected”, said a GM of an Eastern Conference franchise on the subject. “We were told weeks ago that because of the holidays there would be an increase. Not just in the NBA but in general. So it didn’t come out of nowhere ”.
For one of his counterparts, these figures “Expected” none the less “Disturbing”. For now, after decreeing the return of daily tests over the period from November 28 to 30, even for people vaccinated, the NBA is trying to limit the damage by insisting on the need for a booster dose for the majority of actors, players and staff.
If people eligible for a third dose have not received their booster dose by December 17, stricter protocols will be imposed on them, especially for testing on match days.
No decision taken without the agreement of the players’ union
League spokesperson Mike Bass was also forced to play for time, citing a predictable scenario.
“Like the rest of the country, and as our infectious disease specialists predicted, we have seen an increase in cases around the league. As we have done since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, we will continue to monitor science and data and, in close partnership with the players’ union, we will update our protocols if our medical experts deem it appropriate ” .
The need for the endorsement of the players’ union is another element preventing the NBA from taking more drastic measures in terms of testing for vaccinated players, while an agreement was reached at the start of the season to alleviate these constraints. with vaccination as a counterpart.
It now remains to be held for another three good weeks before making a new point, hoping to postpone a minimum of matches so as not to upset the schedule in place.
