Despite staggering with six remaining healthy players, the Washington Wizards hopes to be able to resume training as early as Wednesday – nine days after the franchise’s last game amid a coronavirus outbreak within the team, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Through a difficult period of seven positive coronavirus tests among players – a player and a team member tested positive on Monday, sources confirmed – the resumption of the Wizards season could end midweek if the franchise avoids new positive tests on Tuesday and Wednesday, the sources said.
The NBA postponed the Wizards’ fifth consecutive game – this time against Charlotte on Wednesday – and it was unclear whether the NBA would pressure the Wizards to play a scheduled game against Milwaukee on Friday. Even if the Wizards manage to bring together eight eligible players for Friday, the NBA may decide to give the franchise more time to increase its available players for a return to the caliber of the NBA level.
Wizards may soon start releasing players according to coronavirus protocols to resume midweek participation, the sources said. Players with a positive coronavirus test should isolate between 10 to 14 days, depending on individual recovery periods.
The Wizards are 3-8 in the season and lost pivot Thomas Bryant due to a torn ACL on his left knee on January 9. The Wizards applied for a $ 4.2 million handicap exception, the sources said, which will give them a spot to acquire a player for a contract that runs until the end of the season.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are discussing adding a two-way roster for teams during the pandemic, sources told ESPN. A two-way contract allows a player – with a partial salary of $ 450,000 – to play 50 of the 72 regular season games in the truncated season.
The Washington Post first reported the two new positive Wizards tests for coronavirus on Monday.