Raptors responsible for 'many' new positive COVID-19 cases in NBA
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced via a joint statement on Wednesday that seven new players tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Toronto Raptors are responsible for "many" of those new positives:
The Raptors had Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls postponed after Toronto couldn't name eight healthy and available players to its active squad and then had Tuesday's matchup versus the Detroit Pistons pushed back to Wednesday. According to William Lou of Yahoo Sports, Toronto head coach Nick Nurse, five of Nurse's assistants, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pat McCaw and Malachi Flynn will all be in the NBA's COVID-19 protocols through at least early Thursday morning.
Siakam hasn't played since a 116-108 loss to the Miami Heat on Feb. 24 and won't return before the All-Star break. The Raptors are at the Boston Celtics Thursday night to close out the first half of their season.
Toronto assistant coach Sergio Scariolo will serve as interim coach until Nurse is cleared to return.
Last November, the NFL's Baltimore Ravens reportedly disciplined a strength and conditioning coach for failing to follow known health and safety guidelines related to the coronavirus ahead of a virus outbreak endured by the club.
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