Lakers coach Frank Vogel and guard/forward Kent Bazemore have entered the NBA health and safety protocol, as relayed by Bill Orem of The Athletic.
Assistant David Fizdale will take over for Vogel until he can return. Per NBA rules, Vogel and Bazemore most stay in protocols for 10 days or return two negative tests before exiting.
“The Lakers currently have eight players out with either injury or in protocols (or in Kendrick Nunn’s case, both),” Orem wrote. “If nothing changes, they would have 10 active player tonight, but plan was for Trevor Ariza to only suit up and not play, so really just nine.”
The Lakers are scheduled to play the Bulls on Sunday, but the league appears to be in the process of postponing multiple games. So it seems everything is still up in the air.
The NBA reportedly has a vaccination rate of 97 percent, but like the NFL and NHL, is experiencing a major outbreak of positive tests and players entering protocol.
The Associated Press reported Thursday evening that about 8 percent of NBA players were in protocol. That number has likely doubled since the AP’s report.
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