Team USA basketball: Zach LaVine in health and safety protocols, will not travel to Tokyo with his teammates on Monday

When the opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics begins on Friday, not all members of the United States Men’s National Basketball Team will be in attendance to watch. Aside from the trio of players still playing in the NBA Finals, Team USA announced Monday afternoon that Chicago Bulls goaltender Zach LaVine will also not be traveling with the team to Tokyo because he has been placed in protocols. health and safety.

By USA team:

“As a precaution, USA Basketball Men’s National Team member Zach LaVine has been placed under USA Basketball health and safety protocols and will not be traveling with the team to Tokyo today. USA Basketball hopes that Zach can join the team in Tokyo later this week. “

The news comes just a week after Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal had to be replaced on the roster due to health and safety protocols, in addition to the quarantine of Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons for the same. right. The United States is already without Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, as all three are still in the NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee, but could wrap up as early as Tuesday night with Game 6 in Milwaukee.

Unlike Beal’s situation, Team USA is optimistic that LaVine will be able to join them at some point during the Olympics. This is also not the first time that LaVine has been quarantined. He was sidelined for two weeks during the regular season after testing positive for the coronavirus. The All-Star goalie said when he tested positive in April that he was mostly asymptomatic and only had a headache during his nearly three-week absence.

It’s unclear exactly when LaVine will be able to join the squad in Tokyo, but with the United States’ first game in six days, it would be surprising if he were available for that opener against France. Team USA will only have to hope they don’t have to replace their third player, having had to add Keldon Johnson and JaVale McGee to replace Beal and Kevin Love, who have retired due to a lingering injury to the right calf.