League sources told ESPN that, with the league facing a surge in positive COVID-19 tests, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are in talks around increased testing. across the league for vaccinated players and staff.
As of Wednesday morning, a total of 60 players have been involved in health and safety procedures this season, including 43 in the past two weeks. 13 players joined the protocol on Tuesday, by far the highest number of any day this season. The previous one-day high was four, occurring on December 1, December 4, Saturday and Monday.
The Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and brooklyn network was affected by outbreaks and NBA MVP twice Giannis Antetokounmpo afterward Milwaukee Bucks entered the protocols on Tuesday.
While the testing-related conversations between the NBA and the NBPA are ongoing, more league-wide testing is expected over the Christmas and New Year holidays, including those who have had their injections. room, union sources said.
Enhanced testing has also been conducted around the Thanksgiving break, with the NBA and NBPA agreeing that all Level 1 players and staff – anyone working within 15 feet of a player – will are tested daily from November 28 to 30, including those who are vaccinated.
There will also be further beefed up requirements for staff beyond Level 1 staff, according to league sources. The NBA has now adopted a Friday deadline for players to qualify for it. enhanced shots, with those not facing more stringent protocols, including competition day testing.
With regard to employees, the NBA noted in an earlier memo that eligible employees who have not received a boost will no longer be allowed to have direct contact with players, travel with the team, or continue as “Level 1 Personnel”, with limited exceptions.
Team executives and team health officials have in recent days described feelings of frustration associated with players who have tested positive but are asymptomatic, as officials The team said it hopes that one day the league can – perhaps soon – hit the point where only players who feel sick will be sidelined.
But the NBA remains mindful, league sources said, that people without symptoms can still transmit the virus, and the league remains committed to following the guidance of the CDC, WHO and its own infectious disease experts. surname.
Although 97 percent of players are vaccinated, several team executives and health officials have expressed concern pre-season that the NBA will not enter the season to test all players who have been vaccinated. vaccination in the context of the policy applied in the previous season. In such a situation, tracking the virus in the context of potential breakout cases would prove to be a challenge, team officials said. But league around also understands that daily testing in a largely vaccinated tournament is likely not going to get enough buy-in to get approved or enforced, team officials said.
“I’m actually fine with it if we understand the risk factors,” a Western Conference GM told ESPN of the lack of daily testing for all vaccinated players.
The federation hopes that more players and staff receive additional injections that will improve immunity, but it appears the federation, according to the NBPA, will not mandate boosters, federation sources said. The NBA has a vaccination rate of about 97 percent without mandatory vaccinations, and there is optimism that it can achieve similar numbers for booster shots without the requirement.
There is skepticism surrounding the league that the recent increase, which many team executives and team health officials say was predicted months in advance, will cause any outages, despite although more delays are expected. Many NBA generals noted that the league was aided by a surge in COVID-19 last winter, despite several games being postponed and was able to end the season and be crowned champion. enemy.
But there is clear concern growing among team health officials and team executives, who see other leagues facing their own outbreaks and the postponement or cancellation of matches.
“It’s very hard for us to defend ourselves right now – not against disease but against transmission and contraction,” said a Western Conference athletics coach. Conference said.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski contributed to this report.
