After playing 14 minutes in the first half, Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas did not return for the second half of Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets because of health and safety protocols, the team said.
Valanciunas, a starter who scored 8 points and caught 4 rebounds, did not register a positive coronavirus test, a Grizzlies official told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“As soon as we received a notification in conversations with the league, we had to remove him from the game due to excessive caution and put him in the health and safety protocol,” said Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. “The great thing is that he is not positive, but he is very cautious. We had to act immediately, and great execution on the part of our performance team, the security team, to spread that word and get him out of the game.”
Valanciunas left the game with 5:17 remaining in the second quarter. The Grizzlies held the Nets back to win 115-110. Dillon Brooks led the Grizzlies with 24 points and Brandon Clarke added 21, while Caris LeVert made 43 for the Nets in 15 of 23 shots.
“You have to adapt and stay positive during this,” said Jenkins. “This is one of the things we talked about with the team at the beginning of the year: how this season will be unique. You have to be positive, adapt, fulfill and be together. It is our pact – pact.”
According to league protocols, if Valanciunas is being retained due to contact tracking, he must be quarantined for seven days before being released to return if he continues to record negative tests, which means he would lose at least three games .
In the past week, the NBA has managed several players who lost games due to protocols. Kevin Durant of the Nets was eliminated last week, Michael Porter Jr. of the Nuggets was eliminated indefinitely and three Dallas Mavericks were eliminated after a positive test within the team. Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry recently had to leave mid-game because of a positive test.
Valanciunas, 28, averaged 15.0 points and 11.4 rebounds in eight games before Friday.