NBA COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols: Current list of players sidelined

Gilbert McGregor

NBA COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols: Current list of players sidelined image

Two months into the 2021-22 NBA season, the league is feeling the effects of the latest COVID-19 surge.

In the first six weeks of the season, 16 players were placed into the league's COVID health and safety protocols, which sideline any player that tests positive for COVID-19 for a minimum of five days. The month of December marked a major uptick.

As a result, these games have been postponed:

  • Warriors vs. Nuggets (Dec. 30)
  • Heat vs. Spurs (Dec. 29)
  • Nets vs. Trail Blazers (Dec. 23)
  • Raptors vs. Bulls (Dec. 22)
  • Wizards vs. Nets (Dec. 21)
  • Magic vs. Raptors (Dec. 20)
  • Pelicans vs. 76ers (Dec. 19)
  • Nuggets vs. Nets (Dec. 19)
  • Cavaliers vs. Hawks (Dec. 19)
  • Bulls vs. Raptors (Dec. 16)
  • Pistons vs. Bulls (Dec. 14)

Per NBA rules, a game is only postponed when a team has fewer than eight available players, but that issue had largely been avoided due to the NBA's hardship exemption, which grants teams temporary roster spots in the event of an outbreak or several serious injuries.

NBA.com has the list of NBA players currently in the league's protocols:

NBA players in COVID health and safety protocols

Boston Celtics (one player) 

  • Marcus Smart

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

  • Kelly Oubre

Denver Nuggets (one player)

  • JaMychal Green

Detroit Pistons (one player)

  • Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one player)

  • Armoni Brooks

LA Clippers (two players)

  • Luke Kennard
  • Nicolas Batum

Los Angeles Lakers (one player)

  • Sekou Doumbouya

Memphis Grizzlies (four players, head coach)

  • Kyle Anderson
  • Tyus Jones
  • Killian Tillie
  • Desmond Bane
  • Taylor Jenkins

Miami Heat (two players)

  • Markieff Morris
  • Tyler Herro

Minnesota Timberwolves (one player)

  • Jordan McLaughlin

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player)

  • Kenrich Williams

Phoenix Suns (one player)

  • Ish Wainright

Sacramento Kings (one player)

  • Tyrese Haliburton

San Antonio Spurs (one player)

  • Tre Jones

Utah Jazz (one player)

  • Hassan Whiteside

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.