Kings gameday live: New roster provisions for COVID-19 outbreak; Wiggins out for Warriors
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins joined the long list of players in NBA health and safety protocols Sunday as his team prepared to face the Kings on Monday at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Kings still had six players in the league’s protocol system following Sunday’s 121-114 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Acting coach Doug Christie said there was no indication any of his players would be cleared to return in time for Monday’s game against the Warriors.
“We don’t have word on that yet,” Christie said. “If I could tell you, I would love to say (yes), but no, I don’t have any word as of yet.”
Interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry has missed the past three games after testing positive for COVID-19. De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Terence Davis, Louis King, Marvin Bagley III and Alex Len have missed the past two games after entering NBA health and safety protocols.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the NBA and National Basketball Players Association reached an agreement Sunday to help teams manage the league’s current COVID-19 outbreak. There were 71 players in NBA health and safety protocols as of Sunday, including the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young; Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and James Harden; Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine; Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley; Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokoumpo; Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards; and Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam.
Wojnarowski reported teams will be permitted to sign one replacement player for reach roster player who tests positive, adding that hardship signings will not impact the team’s salary cap or luxury tax figures. Charania reported teams will be required to sign one replacement player if they have two positive tests, two replacement players if they have three positive tests and three replacement players if they have four or more positive tests. Charania added that two-way players, who were previously limited to a total of 50 NBA games, now have no limit on the number of games they can appear in.
ESPN reported the new roster rules went into effect Sunday night and will remain in place until Jan. 19, at which point the NBA will provide further guidance. This could potentially leave the Kings scrambling to sign multiple players before Monday’s game against the Warriors.
Status updates
There were no changes when the Kings submitted their injury report Monday afternoon.
Kings center Richaun Holmes remains questionable after missing the past six games with an injury to his right eye. Fox, Mitchell, Davis, King, Bagley and Len are still out due to health and safety protocols.
Starting lineup
During his pregame news conference, Christie said Holmes will miss his seventh game due to the eye injury and the other six players on the injury report are still out due to health and safety protocols.
Christie said he would stick with the same starting lineup Monday against the Warriors.
G — Tyrese Haliburton
G — Buddy Hield
F — Harrison Barnes
F — Chimezie Metu
C — Tristan Thompson
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he would start Damion Lee and rookie Jonathan Kuminga with Jordan Poole and Wiggins out due to health and safety protocols.
Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Chase Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK
Odds: Warriors -12.5
Over/under: 221.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Richaun Holmes (eye). OUT — Marvin Bagley III (health and safety protocols); Terence Davis (health and safety protocols); De’Aaron Fox (health and safety protocols); Louis King (health and safety protocols); Alex Len (health and safety protocols); Davion Mitchell (health and safety protocols).
Warriors: OUT — Warriors: OUT – Jordan Poole (health and safety protocols); Klay Thompson (Achilles); Andrew Wiggins (health and safety protocols); James Wiseman (knee).
Note: Check back for updates with the latest news, notes, quotes and injury updates throughout the day leading up to tonight’s game between the Kings and Warriors.
This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
