The Washington Wizards announced Sunday morning that All-Star guard Bradley Beal will miss Monday’s preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets after being placed under the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Beal will rejoin the team once he clears the league’s current protocols.
The NBA released updated health and safety protocols for players in August, loosening some of the guidelines it had from the previous two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began:
Unvaccinated players will be tested once per week.Vaccinated players will be tested only when symptomatic.Players will be isolated immediately upon a positive test.Masks will not be required.
It’s unclear exactly what the guidelines are to exit health and safety protocols for a player who tests positive or has been in contact with someone who tested positive. But in previous seasons players have had to remain isolated for anywhere between five to seven days and were able to return if their cycle threshold (CT) was above 30. Those guidelines may be different this season as the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped from where we were last year around this time, but the league may also want to remain vigilant with this virus as there was a league-wide outbreak that caused many games to be postponed in December of last season.
For Beal and the Wizards, there’s a chance he could return for the team’s final preseason game against the Knicks on Friday. If not, then he’ll have to wait to rejoin the team ahead of their season opener against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 19.
