Report: Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton enters COVID-19 protocols

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The hits just keep on coming.

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton entered the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi.

The addition to the list marks the third Suns player to enter the league’s protocols after forward Jae Crowder and guard Elfrid Payton reportedly were on Sunday.

And earlier on Monday, Wojnarowski reported that head coach Monty Williams was also placed in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick added that assistant Kevin Young will take on head-coaching duties.

This comes after the Suns played the Warriors on Christmas Day and The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Warriors forward Draymond Green landed in protocols on Sunday.

Ayton, Crowder and Payton are the first Suns players to be placed in health and safety protocols during the regular season.

Prior to the matchup with the Warriors on Saturday, Phoenix was one of the only NBA teams that had yet to place a single player in the league’s protocols.

But as of Monday, the Utah Jazz stand as the only team in the league yet to be affected in the month of December.

In the month of December, over 190 players in the NBA have been placed in COVID-19 protocols.

Players in protocol must sit out six days or record two negative tests in a 24-hour span before returning to basketball activities.

The Suns host the Grizzlies on Monday night with tipoff at 7 p.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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