Landry Shamet is latest Suns player to hit COVID-19 protocols

Phoenix Suns guard Landry Shamet was placed under the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday, according to the league’s official injury report.

Shamet joins Deandre Ayton, JaVale McGee, Jae Crowder and Abdel Nader on the list. In the past week, Phoenix has also placed guard Elfrid Payton on the list before he was cleared.

Suns head coach Monty Williams spent more than a week in health and safety protocols before rejoining the team Tuesday to coach a road game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reports that Phoenix does not expect any of its sidelined players to clear protocols to play Tuesday, making a Thursday home game against the Los Angeles Clippers the team’s next chance at returning some of them to the floor.

Shamet is averaging 7.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He’s shooting 38% overall and 36% from three-point range in 35 games (seven starts).

The timing isn’t ideal with Shamet having one of his best outings as a Sun on Sunday by scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go with four steals and three assists. The scoring outburst in a Phoenix win against the Charlotte Hornets was two points off his season high.

Without Shamet, the Suns will likely turn to more doses of Cam Payne and Payton as backups to starting guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker.

Wings like recently signed Justin Jackson, who joined Phoenix on Tuesday via a 10-day hardship deal, could potentially be utilized by Williams in a pinch.

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