The squad had already left for Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday without Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince, who both will not participate in the restart to the NBA season after each recorded a positive test for COVID-19.
In addition to the absence of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Nic Claxton due to injury, Nets will also be without DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler, who chose not to participate because of coronavirus, which was previously contracted by Durant and Jordan.
Dinwiddie, the second leading scorer and team leader in assists, first announced that he was tested positive on June 29 and had been bedridden, suffering from fever, headache, chest tightness and dizziness. Unlike Jordan, Dinwiddie hoped to return to court, but finally agreed with the team doctor that he should remain at home.
The prince was unexpectedly ruled out, according to the ESPN report, shortly before the team traveled to Florida. In his first year with the Nets, the 26-year-old started 61 of 64 matches, but often struggled, averaging 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds, while capturing 37.6 percent of the worst careers from the field.
Dinwiddie, however, had become the biggest star in the first year of the Durant-Irving era, averaging 20.6 career high points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds.
“After another positive test yesterday and considering the symptoms, @BrooklynNets, the team of doctors and I have decided that it will be in the best interest of me and the team that I don’t play in Orlando,” tweeted Dinwiddie. “I will support them every step of the way!”
Without Dinwiddie and Irving, the Nets will be without their two leaders in printing and helping, leaving Caris LeVert to assume many of the responsibilities of playmaking. Two-way player Chris Chiozza, 24, is also likely to be given the biggest opportunity in his young career. Chiozza, a 5-foot-11 guard, appeared in 11 matches with Brooklyn this season, averaging 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 11.5 minutes.
After the Nets recently signed bodyguard Tyler Johnson, then added winger Justin Anderson to replace Chandler, the New York Times reported Tuesday that the Nets had targeted Amir Johnson’s signing center to strengthen a drained front line, without Jordan and Claxton. Johnson, 33, recently appeared in 56 matches with 76ers last season, when veterans 6-9 averaged 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per match. Substitute players ruled out by COVID-19 are not included in the salary limit and will become free agents indefinitely after the season.
Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean PrinceEPA; Getty Images
Even before Dinwiddie and Prince were ruled out, caretaker coach Jacque Vaughn was unsure of what to expect from the interim list. Now, the Nets (30-34) will return to action on July 31 without three starters – including Jordan and Chandler – from the March 10 win on the road against the Lakers, which is the Nets last match before the season is stopped.
“We don’t know what the initial five looks like,” Vaughn said recently. “I still have to wait and see how the men are when we get to Orlando and make that adjustment, and that’s the challenge.
“Whether it’s adjusting the way we play offensively and defensively, it can happen within two weeks of our first match. That’s not your normal preparation, but we might bend a little. But we will not rest. “
Although the latest absence increases the chance the Nets could fail in the playoffs, the ninth position (24-40) sits six games behind Brooklyn – must be in four matches from the 8th seed to force play-in series, with only eight the remaining regular season matches – and will also be without their top three players (Bradley Beal, John Wall and Davis Bertans).
If the Nets miss the postseason, they will retain their own first round pick in the 2020 draft – if not, held by Minnesota – in addition to the 76ers first round pick.
