Did the Phoenix Suns Violate NBA COVID Protocols vs. Dallas?

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Suns
By Donnie Druin | Last updated 6/8/22

The Athletic reported on Wednesday the Phoenix Suns may have not been 100% when they took on the Dallas Mavericks for the entirety of their series in the Western Conference Semifinals.

A reported six individuals, which includes one player on the Suns tested positive, "either late in the Western Conference semifinals or the day after Game 7."

The player reportedly received a positive test the day after Game 7, while assistant coach Bryan Gates missed the game following a positive test shortly after Game 6. "Some of the other Suns indicated to colleagues they weren’t feeling well prior to Game 7," said The Athletic.

NBA protocols require testing of any individual who has symptoms, and a positive test would prevent them from playing, coaching or being at the team's facility.

The following chunk of info from the article offers quotes from both sides:

“I think it’s very clear that nobody wanted to report stuff,” said one source with knowledge of the Suns’ positive tests who was not authorized to speak publicly about them. “And this is where it gets dicey.”

A league spokesman told The Athletic, “The NBA has seen no evidence to suggest any rules violations by Suns players or staff.” A league source added the NBA could always revisit the situation if new information emerged.

The Mavericks had grown concerned about the rumblings too, with one Dallas source indicating the discussion about a rumored Suns outbreak began as early as Game 5.

“(COVID-19) was on everybody’s mind,” one source close to the situation said.

The Nets were previously fined $50,000 for COVID-19 violations involving Kyrie Irving joining the locker room earlier in the season, and while we have seen a handful of individual cases, a scenario where a team may have purposely failed to report any sort of outbreak hasn't really emerged.

It sounds as if very minimal damage, if any, will fall on the Suns based on what the NBA's spokesman said in The Athletic's piece.

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