Nets star Kevin Durant tested positive for coronavirus in March.
He’ll still miss Brooklyn’s game against the Jazz on Tuesday due to “health and safety protocols.” That’s code for coronavirus contact tracing.
Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Nets star Kevin Durant is expected to require seven days of quarantine before returning to action due to contact tracing/exposure to COVID-19, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 4, 2021
It is exceedingly unlikely Durant has coronavirus again. One researcher said making antibodies from a case of coronavirus was akin to “an effective vaccine” as far as preventing reinfection. Once NBA players are vaccinated, will they really have to quarantine if exposed to someone with coronavirus? That’s effectively what’s happening here.
The NBA should present the science behind the decision to sideline Durant for a week.
A random NBA player who didn’t already have coronavirus is more likely to have it right now than Durant. If it’s unsafe for Durant to play, it’s unsafe for the NBA to hold games. Which… obviously the league doesn’t want to get into that.
It’s unclear when Durant’s seven-day clock began. He played in the Nets’ loss to the Wizards yesterday.
Brooklyn’s schedule the next week:
- Tuesday: vs. Jazz
- Thursday: vs. 76ers
- Friday: at Grizzlies
- Sunday: vs. Thunder
That’d put Durant in line to return vs. the Nuggets on Tuesday, Jan. 12.