Updates on Draymond, other Warriors in COVID-19 protocol originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SAN FRANCISCO — As the NBA increases the number of COVID-19 tests it will administrate in the wake of Christmas, there is expected to be an influx of positive cases, meaning more players placed in health and safety protocols.
However, not all players who test positive will have to wait out the standard 10 days anymore. Instead, the league is following the newest CDC guidelines that say anyone who is vaccinated or asymptomatic only has to quarantine for up to six days. Individuals also can still test out of protocols if they register two negative tests within 24 hours.
This has a direct impact on the Warriors, who recently played on Christmas Day with four players in the health and safety protocols.
Damion Lee and Moses Moody remain in health and safety protocols, as do several assistant coaches — Mike Brown, Chris DeMarco, Leandro Barbosa and Dejan Milojevic.
But the status of several Warriors players has changed. Here is where everyone stands within Golden State:
Draymond Green placed in health and safety protocols
Draymond Green entered the league’s protocols on Sunday afternoon. Because of the new guidelines, Green will only have to miss a maximum of six days, which means he stil won’t be able to play in the Warriors’ home-and-home series against the Denver Nuggets and a road game in Utah to start the new year.
Despite his quarantine period being shorter than other players the Warriors have been without, his absence will leave a far bigger hole in everything the team does.
“Well, he’s one of the best players in the world, so that impacts everything we do on both ends of the floor,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Monday evening.
“Obviously, he’s our anchor defensively,” Otto Porter Jr. said. “We know how much he brings every night for us. And offensively, he gives us sets and gets the ball moving. He’s the one that’s pretty much dishing out to everybody.”
Green’s defense will be especially missed as the Warriors go up against Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert, two of the league’s best centers and two players Green thrives in matchups against.
According to Kerr, though, Green is in good spirits and experiencing “very mild” symptoms.
Andrew Wiggins is “probable” for Tuesday’s game
After missing the last nine days in health and safety protocols, Andrew Wiggins practiced with the team on Monday evening and is considered to be probable for the Warriors’ Tuesday night game against the Nuggets.
“He’s getting an extra workout in now and he’ll come in tomorrow, go through his pregame routine and I would expect him to play,” Kerr said. “But we obviously have to follow all the protocols and he’s got feel well enough to play. Like I said, I expect that to all be fine. But you never know.”
“We’re just going to see how it goes,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins said his conditioning and body felt fine in practice, but he knows the drills he went through are nothing compared to an in-game situation.
Wiggins was placed in the league’s protocols on Dec. 19. He said he experienced minor symptoms — a sore throat and a little headache — and said it wasn’t as bad as his first bout with COVID-19, though he said neither case was severe.
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Jordan Poole is out of quarantine
Jordan Poole has spent the last 10 days quarantining in a Boston hotel room after entering health and safety protocols a week and a half ago. As of Monday evening, he still was en route back to the Bay Area, per Kerr, and did not participate in the team’s practice.
He also is not expected to be available for Tuesday’s game, and possibly not Thursday’s game in Denver.
“Every player is going to be different based on his own circumstances so that will be determined by Rick (Celebrini) and the training staff,” Kerr said. “But I couldn’t even predict when he’s going to be back.”
More clarity on Poole’s timeline should come this week as he gets back to the team and is able to get on the court with the training staff.