The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit with a bit of a COVID-19 outbreak as they currently have many players and coaches in health and safety protocols due to positive COVID-19 testing.
Early Sunday morning, the team added even more Lakers to the protocols as they announced that head coach Frank Vogel and forward Kent Bazemore were added to the list. Assistant coach David Fizdale will take over head coaching duties Sunday evening against the Chicago Bulls.
This comes after the team’s announcement that Anthony Davis will be out at least four weeks, being re-evaluated at that time as an MRI in Chicago revealed an MCL sprain in his left knee. Of course, Kendrick Nunn still remains out with his mysterious bone bruise injury in his knee. Trevor Ariza also has not made his debut, however, he came into the Timberwolves game on Friday as questionable as he gets closer to his return. Fizdale and the Lakers may be in desperate need of his services this week, as the list of players out due to injury and/or health and safety protocols can be seen below.
UPDATE (12/31/21): Each day brings more good news for the Lakers. This time it is the form of their head coach Frank Vogel, who has cleared protocols. Vogel will be back on the bench tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers have been without Vogel since December 19th when he entered the league’s protocols. David Fizdale was the interim head coach in his absence but now the head coach is back and hopefully that gets the Lakers back on track.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel has cleared protocols and will coach against Portland tonight.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 31, 2021
The Lakers now have no one in protocols as it has been reported that Rajon Rondo is now a Cleveland Cavalier. They will still be without Anthony Davis and Kendrick Nunn as the two recover from their injuries.
UPDATE (12/30/21): The Lakers are slowly getting back to full strength — at least as much as they can without Anthony Davis — as Trevor Ariza has now left health and safety protocols. However, he’ll still be questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Trail Blazers as he gets his legs back underneath him. The injury report has no mention of Austin Reaves or Kent Bazemore, as they should be set to go after getting out of protocols on Wednesday.
Lakers' status report for tomorrow's game: pic.twitter.com/ggaDYPxVyt
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 30, 2021
Here are the current Lakers out due to injury or health and safety protocols:
- Anthony Davis (injury)
- Kendrick Nunn (injury)
- Frank Vogel (protocols)
- Rajon Rondo (protocols, reportedly close to getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers)
UPDATE (12/29/21): The Lakers received some more good news Wednesday morning as Austin Reaves and Kent Bazemore were released from protocols (per Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen & Roll). However, due to the fact that the team is currently on the road in the middle of a back-to-back with the Grizzlies coming up Wednesday night, Reaves and Bazemore will not be available for the contest. Wayne Ellington will be available after missing Tuesday’s win against the Rockets due to a non-COVID-19 illness. Hopefully Reaves and Bazemore can return Friday at home against the Trail Blazers.
With that, here are the current Lakers out due to injury or protocols:
- Anthony Davis (injury)
- Kendrick Nunn (injury)
- Frank Vogel (protocols)
- Phil Handy (protocols)
- Trevor Ariza (protocols)
- Rajon Rondo (protocols)
UPDATE 12/26/21: The Lakers got Avery Bradley and Malik Monk back from protocols the day of their Christmas Day loss against the Nets. However, on Sunday it was announced that Rajon Rondo had entered protocols. Below are the current list of players (and coaches) out due to protocols or injuries after that news.
- Anthony Davis (injury)
- Kendrick Nunn (injury, recently released from protocols)
- Austin Reaves (protocols)
- Kent Bazemore (protocols)
- Frank Vogel (protocols)
- Phil Handy (protocols)
- Trevor Ariza (protocols)
- Rajon Rondo (protocols)
UPDATE 12/21/21: The below list has been modified to factor in the fact that Trevor Ariza made his debut against the Bulls and is probable for Tuesday’s game against the Suns. In addition, Talen Horton-Tucker and Dwight Howard have been released from protocols.
- Anthony Davis (injury)
- Malik Monk (protocols)
- Kendrick Nunn (injury, recently released from protocols)
- Austin Reaves (protocols)
- Kent Bazemore (protocols)
- Avery Bradley (protocols)
- Frank Vogel (protocols)
- Phil Handy (protocols)
- Trevor Ariza (protocols)
- Rajon Rondo (protocols)
With all of the above players out, the Lakers will have LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington, Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas, DeAndre Jordan, Chaundee Brown, Jr., Jay Huff, and possibly Trevor Ariza available at Fizdale’s disposal for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. That’s 9 players total, not counting Ariza, as the Lakers would have to have their game against the Bulls postponed if three more players hit protocols before the 5 p.m. PT tip-off. If two more players were added and Ariza was ruled out, they’d also have to have the game postponed as NBA teams need eight available players to proceed with a game. The Bulls were not capable of doing this for their past two games that were postponed.
We’ll be sure to update this post moving forward with who’s available and who’s not leading into each game.
