Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown has tested positive for COVID-19 and will enter isolation. He will be unavailable for the team’s game Saturday against Toronto. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown for their preseason game Saturday night against the Toronto Raptors. The team announced that Brown tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday; Brown is officially listed as out because of health and safety protocols on the injury report.
Brown is currently in quarantine and asymptomatic, according to the team. Brown had an impressive first preseason game against the Magic, when he scored a game-high 25 points in 26 minutes. He had been dealing with a sore left wrist after season-ending surgery last year, but he said the ailment is steadily improving.
It is unclear yet how long Brown will be out because of health and safety protocols. Brown has not disclosed publicly whether he is vaccinated or not. He said he thought it was a “personal decision” when asked about vaccination status during Celtics media day.
“I have my own thoughts about it but I respect my teammates’ decisions and things like that,” Brown said of getting the vaccine at the time. “I know everybody has their own opinion about it but I think it’s a personal choice.”
Brown isn’t the first person to test positive for COVID-19 this season for the team. Celtics Coach Ime Udoka tested positive for the virus before training camp opened, but he was available for the first day of camp. Udoka is vaccinated and said his symptoms were mild for the most part.
Brown’s fellow All-Star in Jayson Tatum tested positive for COVID-19 last season and struggled for weeks afterwards. Tatum, who confirmed he’s vaccinated, said he had to use an inhaler before his games because of respiratory issues. But that’s in the past now as Tatum said he doesn’t use an inhaler anymore.
When asked about the players association and vaccinated players, Brown credited both the league and union for their vaccine numbers. The vast majority of NBA players are vaccinated, with that number jumping up to more than 95% since the start of training camp. Brown, a players association vice president, said “the NBA is doing a really good job and so is the union” when it comes to vaccination numbers.
“Personally, my closest family members were all vaccinated,” Brown said Sept. 29. “I have family members who are vaccinated, who are concerned with getting the booster shot or multiple booster shots. And I have some people in my family who aren’t vaccinated at all. Just dependent on your situation, your family and how you feel.”
NETS: Kyrie Irving could join Brooklyn at practice this weekend after a ruling that its practice facility doesn’t fall under a New York coronavirus vaccination mandate.
The Nets were told Friday that the training center is considered a private facility. The city’s vaccine mandate requires pro athletes practicing or playing in public venues to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Irving still wouldn’t be able to play in home games if he doesn’t meet the vaccination requirement, but at least he can be with the Nets when they are practicing at home.
“My first kind of thought is that it’s positive,” coach Steve Nash said. “We have him around the team for a larger period of our season.”
Irving was listed as ineligible for the Nets’ exhibition home opener Friday against Milwaukee. But Nash said it was likely that the All-Star guard could be at their outdoor practice Saturday at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Sunday inside their facility was “hopefully even more likely.”
He doesn’t know if Irving will play Monday at Philadelphia because he hasn’t practiced since the Nets returned from training camp in San Diego last Sunday. But having Irving able to practice increases the chances he could be ready to play when the Nets visit the Bucks on Oct. 19 in the NBA season opener.
PISTONS: Hall of Famer Ben Wallace has re-joined the franchise as a basketball operations and team engagement advisor.
That means Wallace will assist general manager Troy Weaver and the basketball operations staff, as well as head coach Dwane Casey and the coaching staff. He will mentor and help in the development of players on the Pistons roster, as well as those signed to the Motor City Cruise, Detroit’s G League team.
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