On December 31, Beijing time, according to ESPN, 76ers head coach Doug Rivers tested positive for the new crown and has triggered the league's health and safety agreement, and the same agreement is triggered by Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. Counting the two of them, the NBA has had nine managers this season.
The remaining seven managers who triggered the deal include Kings' Kindry, Pacers' Carlisle, Lakers' Vogel, Bulls' Donovan, Suns' Monty Williams, Trail Blazers' Billups and Thunder's Degnault. Among them, Gentry and Carlisle have been released from quarantine and returned to coaching.
ESPN also reported that the 76ers were quarantined today in addition to coach Rivers triggering the deal, and players Miles Powell and Taylor Johnson were also quarantined. In addition to the Nuggets today, in addition to coach Malone triggering the agreement, two other assistant coaches, players Jeff Green, Ennaji and Hyland were also quarantined. 76ers assistant coach Dan Burke and Nuggets assistant david Adelman will temporarily act as head coaches.
According to ESPN, it's not just NBA players and NBA coaches who trigger health and safety protocols, but also NBA referees. Sources revealed that the Omicron variant is popular in the NBA, and 36% of referees have already triggered health and safety protocols to be quarantined. Of the 70 active referees, 25 are already in quarantine, and the league can only promote the G League referees to replace them. In order to send replacement players and referees to the NBA, the G League has been suspended.
Sources said that NBA referees have been 100% vaccinated and have now injected all the booster needles as required. NBA referees don't enjoy charter flights and five-star hotels like players, but the NBA is also improving the conditions for referee travel and hotels to minimize exposure to the virus.