OKC Thunder: More NBA players test positive for COVID-19

Although no OKC Thunder players are named, COVID-19 testing has produced 18 positive results of NBA players.

The original deadline for players to opt-out of participating in the NBA resumption of the season was June 24th. That date, however, was never set in stone. That’s because some players needed to gauge their health after such an extended lay off. That includes players like former OKC Thunder guard Victor Oladipo and current Thunder forward Andre Roberson.

Players who fall in that category could presumably wait until July 1st when teams have to submit their projected rosters to the league. They could even travel with their teams to Orlando and then decide they aren’t ready and decide to opt-out at that point.

Or course the other major factor is whether players test positive for COVID-19. Initially, the league advised of 16 players who tested positive out of 302 tests which occurred on the first day (June 23rd) of testing.

No OKC Thunder players named in positive COVID-19 tests

Of the initial 16 players cited as having positive tests the known players are Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, three Sacramento Kings (Jabari Parker, Buddy Hield, and Alex Len), and Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon. Six others who tested positive included two unnamed Phoenix Suns. and four players from an undisclosed Western playoff team.

Since these initial tests, more players have been reported as producing positive results including Miami Heat dunker Derrick Jones Jr., and two Brooklyn Nets. The latter two players are Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan.

Up until the news of Dinwiddie and Jordan, the players with positive results all stated their intentions of quarantining and playing in Orlando.

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Jordan, however, will not participate which is understandable given his history of asthma. Dinwiddie is uncertain as well as one of the few NBA players who’ve experienced COVID-19 symptoms that include a fever and chest tightness.

With news Wilson Chandler of the Nets has opted out, that makes five players the Nets could have to replace given Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are out due to injury.

This also brings the current total of players suffering from the coronavirus to 18.  Reflecting back there were another 13 players who had positive results as well as Nuggets Head Coach Mike Malone and Knicks owner James Dolan.

The 13 players who tested positive earlier include Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz, Pistons sniper Christian Wood, Celtics defender Marcus Smart, three unnamed 76ers, two unnamed Lakers, Kevin Durant, and three Nets teammates.

Teams are required to test every other day up until two days prior to leaving for Orlando at which time players and staff will be tested daily.

Although the OKC Thunder hasn’t advised of any positive tests the ‘four players from a playoff team’ could potentially be from the Thunder. It does seem unlikely though given many of the Thunder players stayed in the market during the hiatus. Moreover, players like Danilo Gallinari and Dennis Schroder were familiar with the virus far earlier than most NBA players given their families being in Europe where the pandemic hit far earlier than it did America.

Plus with Chris Paul being the NBPA president it meant the Thunder were likely up to speed early in the process. That’s not to say none of the OKC Thunder players could test positive or be safer than their peers. After all, Darius Bazley participated in a local Skinz League game which could have exposed him although we’ve heard no confirmation of that fact.