LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier among four Hornets in covid protocols

The Charlotte Hornets have a covid problem. The team announced today that four players, LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee, and Jalen McDaniels, have all tested positive for covid-19 and entered the league’s health and safety protocols.

If all are vaccinated, they will have to miss either 10 days or return two negative tests 24 hours apart. To this point in the season, most of the players that have entered the health and safety protocols have met the time period requirement before the two negative test requirement.

If the quartet is required to miss ten days, they’ll miss five games against the Hawks, 76ers (twice), Kings, and Mavericks. They’d be eligible to return on December 15th against the Spurs.

To prepare for their absences the Hornets have recalled all possible reinforcements from the Greensboro Swarm. James Bouknight, Kai Jones, and Vernon Carey, who had been on assignment in Greensboro, have been recalled to the Hornets active roster. Two way players Scottie Lewis and Arnoldas Kulboka have also been elevated to the Hornets roster.

The Hornets will obviously have to make drastic changes to their rotation. Ish Smith is going to get the lion’s share of the minutes at point guard and we’re going to get a lot more small ball. We might get our first look at meaningful minutes for James Bouknight and/or Kai Jones.