The OKC Thunder spent this season COVID free, as the rest of the NBA was ravaged with players bouncing in and out of the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols, and hardship players comprising the majority of the league’s roster the Oklahoma City Thunder had previously been able to escape these circumstances.
On Sunday afternoon, the Oklahoma City Thunder returned to Bricktown following a two day lay off for the Christmas Holiday, not having practice or a game on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the OKC Thunder were ready to retake the hardwood floor of the Paycom Center as they welcomed the New Orleans Pelicans to Oklahoma City on December 26th.
The first team issued injury report of the day, did not have a single player on it. Later, the Oklahoma City Thunder would update that Vit Krejci was out due to his G-Leauge assignment with the organization’s G-Leauge affiliate the OKC Blue.
OKC Thunder place Darius Bazley and Tre Mann into the health and safety protocols
The OKC Thunder also added Darius Bazley to the team’s injury report ruling him out for the New Orleans Pelicans contest due to the health and safety protocols. Sam Presti informed the media before the season tipping off that the Oklahoma City Thunder were all vaccinated, though it is unclear how many players do and do not have their boosters, or are even eligible for such (based on the timeline of their second shot).
With only two players inactive, the game continued, though, after the layup lines and the pregame festivities, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced Tre Mann also entered the NBA’s Health and Safety protocols.
Mark Daigneault explained Tre Mann tested negative this morning, but the rookie guard expressed symptoms to the team’s staff and was re-tested. It is unclear just how long either will be out for, and we will learn more about this tomorrow after the team’s Monday practice, I imagine.