NBA Rumors: League’s Plan For When Players Test Positive For COVID-19

There are two courses of action for when a player returns a positive test

Let’s just be honest, there will be positive COVID-19 tests in the NBA this season.

Coronavirus cases are surging across the country, and the NBA is going to attempt the same thing MLB and the NFL did, which is try to pull a season off without a bubble.

It’s a tall task, but one the NBA will be embarking on soon, as training camps are scheduled to begin Tuesday, with the regular season beginning Dec. 22.

So, what happens when a player tests positive? The league on Saturday released its health and safety protocols, and in it outlined the plan for a positive test.

Per the NBA's health and safety protocols for the 2020-21 season, if someone tests positive for COVID-19 there are two paths to them returning: either going at least 10 days since the first positive test or symptom onset, or having two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 28, 2020

No matter what, it’s going to be an imperfect system. However, having regular testing that is reliable is going to be the only way this season goes off with as few hitches as possible.