NBA COVID tracker: Team-by-team list as Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, Bucks’ Jrue Holiday enter protocols

With the omicron variant running rampant, NBA rosters are in flux. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Milwaukee Buck guard Jrue Holiday and Dallas Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis are among the many players in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Since the beginning of December, more than 300 players have entered protocols, per ESPN.  

In related news, since Dec. 26, tighter protocols — stricter mask requirements, increased testing — have been in effect. These rules will be in place until the All-Star break in mid-February, and any player who has not received a booster shot will be subject to additional off-court restrictions. 

Another change: Some players can now clear health and safety protocols and return to play as soon as five days after testing positive, provided that they are asymptomatic, vaccinated and likely not contagious (i.e. their cycle threshold is above 30).

Players to have recently cleared protocols include the Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins, the New York Knicks’ Julius Randle and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

Between the tweaked return-to-play policy and the new rule mandating teams to use hardship exceptions when multiple players are in protocols, the NBA is aiming to avoid postponing more games. 

There have been 11 postponements this season, and the NBA announced makeup dates this week. Here’s a list of the games that were pushed back:

• Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets (Dec. 30)
• Miami Heat at San Antonio Spurs (Dec. 29)
• Brooklyn Nets at Portland Trail Blazers (Dec. 23)
• Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls (Dec. 22)
• Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets (Dec. 21)
• Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors (Dec. 20)
• New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers (Dec. 19)
• Denver Nuggets at Brooklyn Nets (Dec. 19)
• Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks (Dec. 19)
• Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (Dec. 16)
• Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls (Dec. 14)

Five head coaches are in health and safety protocols: Taylor Jenkins (Memphis Grizzlies), Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee Bucks), Nate McMillan (Atlanta Hawks) and Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets).

Nine more coaches — Doc Rivers (Philadelphia), Chauncey Billups (Portland Trail Blazers), Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers), Alvin Gentry (Sacramento Kings), Frank Vogel (Los Angeles Lakers), Billy Donovan (Bulls), Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns), Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) and Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder) — have entered and subsequently cleared protocols this season.  

The Raptors played two December home games at 50% capacity and, as of Dec. 31, can allow no more than 1,000 people to enter Scotiabank Arena, per a provincial mandate. The team expects the limit to be in place for the next three weeks, and, as such, are playing in a virtually empty arena.

Below is a regularly updated, team-by-team list of players in health and safety protocols, along with the date (or, in some cases, the approximate date) they entered:

Players in health and safety protocols

Atlanta Hawks

• Chris Clemons (Jan. 6)
• Cameron Oliver (Jan. 5)
• Gorgui Dieng (Dec. 28)

Boston Celtics

• Payton Pritchard (Jan. 5)

Charlotte Hornets

• Vernon Carey Jr. (Jan. 1)

Chicago Bulls

Dallas Mavericks

• Kristaps Porzingis (Jan. 3)
• Boban Marjanovic (Dec. 29)

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

• Torrey Craig (Jan. 7)
• Justin Anderson (Jan. 7)

• Goga Bitadze (Jan. 2)
• Caris LeVert (Jan. 2)
• T.J. Warren (Jan. 2)
• Isaiah Jackson (Dec. 30)

Los Angeles Clippers

• Xavier Moon (Jan. 6)
• Luke Kennard (Jan. 1)
• Ivica Zubac (Dec. 30)

Memphis Grizzlies

• Steven Adams (Jan. 7)
• Xavier Tillman (Dec. 30)
• John Konchar (Dec. 28)
• Dillon Brooks (Dec. 26)
• De’Anthony Melton (Dec. 26)

Miami Heat

• Marcus Garrett (Dec. 30)
• Gabe Vincent (Dec. 29)
• Udonis Haslem (Dec. 28)

Milwaukee Bucks

• Jrue Holiday (Jan. 6)
• George Hill (Jan. 5)
• Grayson Allen (Jan. 4)
• Pat Connaughton (Jan. 4)

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

• Tomas Satoransky (Jan. 2)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

• Paul Reed (Jan. 4)
• Tyrese Maxey (Jan. 3)
• Jaden Springer (Jan. 2)

Phoenix Suns

• Landry Shamet (Jan. 4)
• Abdel Nader (Dec. 29)

Sacramento Kings

• Chimezie Metu (Jan. 4)
• Richaun Holmes (Jan. 1)

San Antonio Spurs

• Keldon Johnson (Jan. 6)
• Devin Vassell (Jan. 6)
• Derrick White (Jan. 6)
• Thaddeus Young (Jan. 6)
• Doug McDermott (Jan. 1)

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

• Rudy Gobert (Jan. 6)
• Joe Ingles (Jan. 4)

Washington Wizards

• Tremont Waters (Jan. 3)
• Anthony Gill (Jan. 2)
• Brad Wanamaker (Dec. 31)
• Montrezl Harrell (Dec. 28)