Martin, Tate join growing protocol list
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The wave of positive COVID cases sweeping through the NBA hit the Rockets again on Monday with power forwards K.J. Martin and Jae’Sean Tate placed in health and safety protocols.
With Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green active but playing Monday against the Charlotte Hornets, that left the Rockets with 10 players available, including their two twoway players, Daishen Nix and Trevelin Queen. Nix was recalled from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, joined the team Sunday in Charlotte and scored 11 points in 17 minutes Monday. Queen was the team’s leading scorer in the 123-99 loss with 17 points.
Porter and Green are expected to play Tuesday against the Lakers, which would be Green’s second game since he was hurt Nov. 24 against the Chicago Bulls and Porter’s first since he was shut down after he had to leave games Dec. 1 and 3 against the Thunder and Magic.
With Porter and Green sitting out, the Rockets were without six of their customary 10 rotation players. Guard D.J. Augustin and forward Garrison Mathews were placed in health and safety protocols Sunday, with Mathews testing positive after practicing with the team Sunday at Toyota Center.
Though every Rockets player and staff member is fully vaccinated and has taken booster shots, those positive tests triggered a requirement that the team undergo daily testing which revealed the additional breakthrough cases.
That also will lead to the Rockets adding players with 10-day, hardship exemption contracts.
The Rockets will not be able to make the immediate, logical moves close to home.
League rules do not permit them to sign player development assistant Gerald Green because he is already on their staff, though he can come out of retirement with any other team.
Rio Grande Valley forward Anthony Lamb, who spent much of last season with the Rockets and was with them throughout training camp, suffered a bone bruise in the final G League Showcase game last week and is not available to fill in immediately. If Lamb were healthy, he likely would not have been available to the Rockets, anyway, with four teams reaching out about signing him, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
If players signed to hardship 10day contracts among the initial wave of replacement players become available, the Rockets could sign them immediately, rather than wait for the customary waiver period.
Many of those players were considered the top prospects out of the G League with their fill-in duties giving NBA teams a chance to scout them in NBA games. But with the vast numbers of players out, relatively few became available since the positive cases hit the Rockets’ roster.
For the Rockets, the latest health and safety absences will leave them without either of their power forwards.
“We have other guys we can throw in that spot,” coach Stephen Silas said. “Christian (Wood) can play some four. Dave Nwaba can play some four. Usman (Garuba) can play some four. We have guys we can throw in there. We have three guys who are basically centers, but Christian can play some four. We’ll see some of that, for sure.”