Two Nets players positive for Covid ahead of NBA restart
BROOKLYN Nets centre DeAndre Jordan will not play again this season and teammate Spencer Dinwiddie’s participation is also in doubt after both tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday.
The NBA is planning to go ahead with its restart plans at Disney World in Orlando on July 30, despite the fact that Florida is battling a surge in coronavirus cases in the past few days.
“Found out last night and confirmed again today that I’ve tested positive for Covid while being back in market. As a result of this, I will not be in Orlando for the resumption of the season,” Jordan said Monday on Twitter.
Guard Dinwiddie told sports news site The Athletic that he had experienced symptoms “including fever and chest tightness”.
He said it remained unclear whether he would be able to play in Orlando, where 22 teams will be based for the remainder of the season.
Players are due to travel to Florida for training camp in early July, and the teams will play games without fans in a “bubble” designed to shield players and team staff from the outside world.
It is a further blow to playoff ambitions of the Nets who are already without stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant because of injury.
On Sunday another Nets player, forward Wilson Chandler, ruled himself out of the NBA’s restarted season, citing safety fears because of the coronavirus.
Chandler told ESPN he had opted to skip the restart in Orlando in order to spend more time wit h his family.