Bucks close facility
rant (Achilles rehab), Irving (shoulder) and Chandler, but also starting center DeAndre Jordan, who opted out of the Orlando bubble after testing positive for COVID-19, and rookie Nic Claxton (shoulder surgery).
Spencer Dinwiddie's status is also unknown. He tested positive for the coronavirus at the same time as Jordan and has been exhibiting symptoms of chest tightness and fever. Dinwiddie remains undecided on whether he'll join his teammates for the trip.
Neither Musa nor Kurucs will just be handed minutes. The Nets waived reserve guard
Theo Pinson and signed Tyler Johnson, a capable combo guard whom GM Sean Marks offered a four-year, $50 million contract when he was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2016. Reserve guard Chris Chiozza has also supplanted Musa as the next guard off the bench in Dinwiddie's absence. Taurean Prince will still play significant minutes at the four, and the Nets reportedly are set to sign Justin Anderson to add depth in the front court.
For Musa, the key to success lies in his newfound selflessness.
“I think that I matured a lot from that point, from let's say
February to now, just to realize what's my role on the team,” he said. “To give the energy, to make the right plays and just to help my team win, not thinking about individual stats too much.”
As for Kurucs, well, he's taking Vaughn's edict to heart.
“It's the easy stuff they want me to do. They want me to make the right play,” he said. “Everything they wanted before, they just wanted it consistent.”
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks have closed their practice facility following the team's latest round of testing for the coronavirus.
Bucks officials confirmed Sunday that they had closed the facility and that they aren't planning to reopen it before leaving for Florida on Thursday to prepare for the NBA's resumption of the season at Walt Disney World.
The Bucks owned an
NBA-leading 53-12 record when play was suspended in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Their magic number for clinching the Eastern Conference's top seed in the playoffs is two as they chase their first NBA title since 1971.
Milwaukee is scheduled to resume play July 31 against the Boston Celtics, its first of eight games to close the regular season.