Kings rookie Neemias Queta enters NBA health and safety protocols after game vs. Warriors
Kings rookie Neemias Queta has reportedly entered NBA health and safety protocols as the NBA’s current COVID-19 outbreak continues to worsen.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Queta entered the league’s protocol system Tuesday after appearing in Monday’s 113-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco. He is the seventh Kings player to enter health and safety protocols since interim coach Alvin Gentry tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 15.
Queta, a 7-foot center from Portugal, became the first Portuguese player to appear in an NBA game when he made his Kings debut in a 124-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. He came off the bench to log two minutes in Monday’s game against the Warriors.
Gentry has missed the past four games for the Kings. De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, Terence Davis, Louis King, Marvin Bagley III and Alex Len have missed the past three games. Richaun Holmes has missed seven games due to a right eye laceration.
The Kings signed their first replacement player Tuesday under new roster rules implemented to help teams manage the NBA’s current COVID-19 outbreak. Sources told The Sacramento Bee the Kings were signing Ade Murkey to a 10-day contract after the league granted them a hardship exemption.
Murkey, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard/forward, is part of the Kings’ G League team in Stockton and was a member of Sacramento’s Las Vegas Summer League championship squad.
Murkey, 23, is averaging 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 27.0 minutes per game for Stockton. He is shooting 47.5% from 3-point range on 5.1 attempts per game. Murkey averaged 8.0 points for Sacramento’s summer league team.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 10:19 AM.
