The Las Vegas Summer League is back after a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus, but the pandemic is still making its presence felt, as three members of the Wizards' Summer League team entered the NBA's health and safety protocols the day before their schedule begins.
The Wizards announced on Saturday night that Cassius Winston, Issuf Sanon and Isaiah Todd have all entered protocol. They were replaced on the roster by Cheick Diallo, Asante Gist and Derrick Walton Jr.
Winston, Sanon and Todd were all second-round picks by the Wizards. Winston was taken in 2020, while Todd was just selected last month No. 31 overall from the G-League Ignite. Winston was likely to be one of the team's best players.
Whether they can return or not is unclear at this point, but complicating matters is the Summer League is not long. The Wizards will play five games, the fifth which has not been determined yet. But their first four games fall within a seven-day span.
The Summer League's protocols state that unvaccinated players who come in close contact with a positive test must quarantine for seven days. If any of the affected Wizards players fall into that category it could affect their ability to play at all.
The Wizards had a tough bout with the coronavirus during the 2020-21 NBA season. Nearly half the roster entered protocol in January as six games were postponed.
Diallo and Walton Jr. bring NBA experience to the Wizards' Summer League roster. Diallo is a forward and Walton Jr. is a guard. Gist, also a guard, recently graduated from Iona University.
NBA
Winston will be tough to replace, in particular. With one NBA season under his belt, he figured to be one of the team's key players in Las Vegas.
The Wizards open Summer League play against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.