Coronavirus: Nets PG Dinwiddie tests positive for COVID-19, may sit out restart
- The Brooklyn Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie has tested positive for coronavirus.
Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie announced on Monday he has tested positive for coronavirus and is uncertain to join the team in Orlando for next month's restart of the NBA season.
Dinwiddie confirmed his diagnosis in an interview with The Athletic and added that he has experienced symptoms related to COVID-19.
Per NBA medical protocols that have been established during the restart plan, he will be put into quarantine for at least 10 days and must pass at least two retests before being permitted to rejoin the Nets.
"Originally, we were supposed to be one of the teams to enter the Orlando bubble early, but training camp got switched back to New York and unfortunately I am now positive," he said. "Given that I have experienced symptoms, including fever and chest tightness, it is unclear on whether or not I'll be able to participate in Orlando."
Dinwiddie had planned on playing when the Nets resume their season July 31 at the Walt Disney World Complex and said he initially tested negative for the virus after returning to New York to take part in workouts.
"I was ready and prepared to rejoin my team-mates as we were to be an early entry team in the resumed season," Dinwiddie said. "I flew private to return to New York, passed multiple COVID-19 tests over my first several days in New York and was able to participate in a couple of practices within the first week."
Prior to the season's stoppage on March 11, Dinwiddie was averaging career highs of 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game to help the Nets maintain a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference despite injuries to stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Brooklyn enter the restart seventh in the East and six games ahead of the ninth-placed Washington Wizards.
Neither Durant nor Irving are expected to return this season, and ESPN reported on Sunday that veteran forward Wilson Chandler informed the Nets he will not take part in the restart due to health and family reasons.
It is unclear if Dinwiddie is one of the 16 unidentified players the NBA announced last week were positive for COVID-19 during preliminary testing for the season's resumption. Other players who have either revealed they tested positive or reportedly done so include Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon, Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. and three Sacramento Kings – Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker and Alex Len.
Published 30 Jun 2020, 05:44 IST