Report: Suns’ Jae Crowder, Elfrid Payton enter COVID-19 protocols
Dec 26, 2021, 3:47 PM | Updated: Dec 27, 2021, 8:10 pm
Jae Crowder #99 of the Phoenix Suns reacts against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center on December 14, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder and guard Elfrid Payton are entering the league’s COVID-19 protocols, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The report comes after the Suns played the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day.
Warriors forward Draymond Green landed in protocols as well on Sunday, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Crowder and Payton become the first Suns players to be placed in health and safety protocols during the regular season.
RELATED STORIES
The Suns had been one of the only teams in the NBA as of Friday that hadn’t seen a player land in 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.
Crowder has started in all 32 games for the Suns this year. He’s averaging 9.3 points per game to go with 4.6 rebounds while serving as a key contributor defensively.
Payton has played in 16 games for Phoenix this season, averaging 3.6 points.
The Suns host the Grizzlies on Monday night with tipoff at 7 p.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
