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The 2020-21 NBA season officially commenced on the 22nd of December but the James Harden's future remains uncertain. James Harden is the subject of the majority of NBA Trade Rumors that have emerged recently. The latest NBA News Update revealed he may be suspended from the Houston Rockets' season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to possible violations of the league's COVID protocols.
NBA News Roundup: James Harden responds to all the buzz surrounding him
The All-Star shooting guard's situation with the Houston Rockets is reportedly in turmoil. New information about James Harden's eventful offseason seems to surface every day. The latest controversy is a video that surfaced on social media showing James Harden is what seemed to be a strip club.
The Houston Rockets and the NBA are investigating whether the online clip is a recent one. If the video is verified to be recent, James Harden would be in violation of the league's COVID protocols. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported:
"If the video circulating on social media is verified to be recent, it is a violation of league's COVID protocols, which would put Harden's availability for tonight's opener in jeopardy. From the NBA health and safety protocols: Failure or refusal to comply with the protocols may subject players and team staff to disciplinary action by the NBA or his or her team which may include a warning, fine, and/or suspension."
As the league continued its attempts to verify the authenticity of the video, James Harden addressed the rumors by uploading a story on Instagram. The 2018 MVP claimed he wasn't visiting a strip club but was at a friend's event instead.
James Harden's recent admission leaves the Houston Rockets and the NBA no choice but to suspend him from the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In addition to James Harden being suspended, due to the highly contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus, his teammates have been ruled out of the game as well.
This multiple player suspension certainly lowers the Houston Rockets' chances at winning their season opener against the OKC Thunder today.
NBA News Roundup: James Harden reportedly had COVID-19 in the summer before the bubble restart
Another NBA news report has surfaced and claims James Harden suffered from the coronavirus in the summer and was late to enter the Orlando bubble as a result.
Also check out: James Harden Contract Breakdown
As we have learned from various studies, people previously exposed to the virus are largely immune to catching it again. It, however, still puts the lives of his teammates in jeopardy. According to the NBA's COVID protocols, players who have recovered from the virus must adhere to the rules as well.
As of now, many Houston Rockets players, including John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, are deemed unfit to play in today's game against the OKC Thunder.
Guess the Lakers players!
