Clock is ticking for Kings to replace Harrison Barnes under NBA COVID-19 guidelines
Coach Luke Walton said the Kings must prepare to resume NBA play without Harrison Barnes, but the team is in no hurry to bring in another player to replace him on the roster.
Barnes was still in Sacramento trying to clear COVID-19 protocols Friday, nearly two weeks after he tested positive for the coronavirus. Walton and Kings general manager Vlade Divac have discussed the possibility of replacing Barnes, but at this point they have no intention of doing so.
“That’s a conversation I have with Vlade … and it’s also a conversation the players need to be involved in, because ultimately it’s also up to them to come out here and keep waiting,” Walton said. “As long as Harrison wants to (rejoin the team), we’re not going to replace him.”
Under NBA guidelines, any player who contracts the virus is required to undergo cardiac screening two weeks after testing positive. The team has seven days from that date to keep or replace the player on its roster for the NBA restart. That window has closed for Buddy Hield, Alex Len and Jabari Parker — each of whom has joined the team in Orlando — but not for Barnes.
Barnes is believed to have tested positive either July 3 or July 4. The team announced it was closing its practice facility July 5 after a fourth, then-unidentified member of the organization tested positive. Based on that timeline, Barnes would be scheduled to undergo cardiac screening Friday or Saturday.
The Kings will continue to talk to Barnes and monitor him closely over the next seven days, but Walton said the team would be reluctant to replace Barnes even if he doesn’t clear protocol by then. Barnes must produce two negative test results before he will be allowed to travel to Orlando.
“(Even) if he’s not ready for the first game, Harrison means so much to our team that — look, we’re out here trying to make a playoff push,” Walton said. “So if we can somehow make that happen and Harrison can join for that part of the bubble, then we’re not going to give that spot away.”
Barnes, an eight-year veteran out of North Carolina, is the only player who has started all 64 games for the Kings this season. He is averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
The Kings acquired Barnes at the trade deadline last season and signed him to a four-year, $85 million contract in June.. He has filled a huge void at the small forward position, but at 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, his ability to play power forward in small-ball lineups has been equally as important. Walton said Kent Bazemore helps to fill the void on the wing and “Baze is playing great right now,” but the Kings hope Barnes is able to return.
“Harrison allows a lot of freedom as far as playing different styles of basketball,” Walton said. “… We miss Harrison a lot. We need him back. We want him back, but we can’t plan on him being back just because we don’t know.”
Walton said Hield has been cleared for full-contact activities and was a full participant in practice Friday. Parker is participating in all non-contact drills and could be cleared for full participation Sunday or Monday.
Len arrived late Thursday night. He was still under quarantine early Friday afternoon and will have to test negative for COVID-19 twice over a span of at least 24 hours before joining team activities.
The Kings will take Saturday off. Len could begin training as early as Sunday, but Walton cautioned it would likely be several days before he can fully participate in practice.
“We’ll get a look at him once he clears protocol,” Walton said, “but it’s going to be a while of just conditioning, strength training, making sure his body’s right before he gets out on the court and does some practice and some contact.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 4:33 PM.
