Will the Bulls have games postponed? All-Star Zach LaVine joins eight teammates in COVID-19 protocols

The Chicago Bulls depth chart is shrinking rapidly as nine players in total have entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols over the past two weeks.

On Sunday morning, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Zach Lavine and Troy Brown Jr. have joined their seven other teammates on health and safety protocols, bringing the Bulls to just nine players on the roster. active.

The league’s rule book states that a team must have at least eight players available to prevent games from being postponed, and the Bulls are now following that line.

To learn more about Chicago’s health and safety protocols status and your next schedule that may be in jeopardy, we’ve got you covered below.

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Will Bulls games be postponed due to COVID-19 protocols?

As of Sunday, December 12, the answer is no, because the Bulls have nine active players on their roster. But if one more player falls into health and safety protocols or suffers an injury, he may be in danger.

Due to the NBA’s new hardship exemption, teams are given temporary roster spots that allow them to exceed the 15-man roster limit in times of need (multiple players are out due to injury or illness).

MORE: What is the NBA Hardship Waiver? Rule Helps Teams Cope With COVID-19 And Injuries

That means Chicago can sign available players to keep it above the roster low, but it’s been unlucky with that, too. On December 9, the Bulls signed Stanley Johnson under a hardship waiver agreement, but just two days later, on December 11, the forward also entered the league’s health and safety protocols.

Take a look at all the Bulls players in the protocols, along with the date they entered. (Note: League rules state that a player must miss a minimum of 10 days or produce two negative tests in a 24-hour period to play again.)

* White has been in health and safety protocols since December 1, but on Sunday, Wojnarowski reported has returned to practice. You have not yet received authorization to play.

So who is still active in Chicago?

• Guards: Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Devon Dotson (two-way contract)
• Forward: Alize Johnson, Alfonzo McKinnie (difficulties), Tyler Cook (two-way contract)
• Centers: Nikola Vucevic, Tony Bradley and Marko Simonovic

The Bulls have three games next week and six games over the next two weeks. You can find your next calendar below.

Bulls 2023-22 Calendar