Suns cancel pro day after Wizards put 2 players in health, safety protocols
Jan 12, 2021, 12:01 PM | Updated: 5:30 pm
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) passes the ball between Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Suns gave their players the day off Tuesday after the Washington Wizards, who Phoenix played Monday night, announced two players were placed under health and safety protocols.
Washington canceled its practice “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Suns had originally scheduled a pro day for Tuesday, a time for players to come to the practice facility and get individual work — treatment, weight room work and testing — done. That was canceled, the team told ArizonaSports.com’s Kellan Olson.
The development comes a day after the Suns fell to the Wizards, 128-107, despite Devin Booker’s 33-point effort.
Those two players for the Wizards are forward Rui Hachimura and center Moe Wagner. Hachimura started and played 28 minutes while Wagner registered 22 off the bench. Both players are listed as questionable for Washington’s game on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz.
In an update on Tuesday night, that game was postponed due to the Wizards not being able to have at least eight players active. The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting that is due to ongoing contact tracing.
Before playing the Suns, the Wizards had games against the Heat, Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, all of which have dealt with coronavirus concerns due to contact tracing.
The NBA reportedly was set to postpone a game between Boston and Orlando schedule for Wednesday having previously called off two games Monday because of COVID-related and contact tracing issues. The league postponed the game in Dallas between the Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans as well as Tuesday’s matchup in Chicago between the Bulls and the Boston Celtics.
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The postponements came after Miami’s game in Boston was called off Sunday because of contact-tracing issues within the Heat organization. The matchup would have seen the Celtics with only eight available players.
With multiple games postponed, the NBA has set up a special Board of Governors meeting for Tuesday to discuss how to move forward and tighten protocols, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Despite the recent postponements, Suns head coach Monty Williams credited the league for its protocols and guidelines on Monday.
“As a coach and someone who is in somewhat of a traveling bubble, I feel safer than the general public, because we get tested every morning,” he said. “And if you don’t have the right outcome, you’re going to be removed … I feel like I’m in the safest spot in the world to be honest with you because pro sports is taking so many precautions to keep us that way.”
Phoenix is schedule to return to the court Wednesday to take on the Atlanta Hawks. Catch all the action live on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
