UPDATE:
Kevin Durant has subsequently been cleared to play against the Raptors on Friday after initially missing tip-off because of the league’s health and safety protocols. Durant entered the game just a few minutes into the opening quarter. ESPN’s Malika Andrews explained that Durant had been in contact with someone who may have been exposed to COVID, but after that individual had undergone further testing, it apparently cleared the way for Durant to play.
Kevin Durant did not undergo further testing between the start of tonight’s game and when he checked in, a team source told ESPN. Durant’s early absence was related to contact tracing. The person Durant came into contact with underwent further testing, leading to his availability
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) February 6, 2021
EARLIER:
As the NBA inches closer to its mid-season break, there’s been a lot of debate about the wisdom of moving forward with plans to host an All-Star Game in Atlanta next month amid the ongoing pandemic. Several players around the league have expressed reservations about participating in what would be a massively scaled-down event.
De’Aaron Fox, Kemba Walker, and others <a href="
Durant had been registering antibodies from his March bout with COVID-19 when he was out due to contact tracing a month ago. He missed four games after exposure to the virus. https:/t.co/dv66NxIX0j
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” target=”_blank”>joined LeBron James in saying that risks involved outweighed the benefits, although some have acknowledged that they would still participate if indeed the league continues on its course to put on the annual event in Atlanta.
Amid all of that, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Nets’ star Kevin Durant would not start for his team against the Raptors on Friday night because of the league’s health and safety protocols.
Kevin Durant will not start tonight for the Nets due to Health and Safety protocols, team says.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2021
Durant had been registering antibodies from his March bout with COVID-19 when he was out due to contact tracing a month ago. He missed four games after exposure to the virus. https://t.co/dv66NxIX0j
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2021
Woj initially reported that Durant would miss the entire game but quickly revised that to say he would simply not start against Toronto, leaving the possibility that he might still take the court at some point.
The Nets were one of the teams early in the season to have several players miss games due to COVID-related contact tracing and safety protocols. Durant was among those players to miss time after being exposed to the virus.
