A career season for DeMar DeRozan has been interrupted.
The Chicago Bulls star entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The development will cause DeRozan to miss Monday’s game against the Denver Nuggets and potentially more.
Players can be placed in the health and safety protocols if they test positive for COVID-19 or are ruled a close contact of an infected person if they are unvaccinated. DeRozan is vaccinated.
Monday will be DeRozan’s first missed game of the season, and it’s been quite a season so far. Acquired by the Bulls in a three-year, $85 million sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs, DeRozan has excelled as the new leader of a team that has surprised with its 16-8 start. He is currently averaging 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assist per game while shooting while shooting 49.8 percent from the field.
Just a couple hours before he was sidelined, DeRozan was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for a 3-0 stretch of games in which he averaged 30.3 points per game.
Now, it’s unclear when he will see the court again. The Bulls are also without Coby White and Javonte Green due to the health and safety protocols, while star defender Alex Caruso is doubtful Monday due to a hamstring injury.
