Report: NBA, NBPA agree to revised rules on teams signing replacement players following rise in COVID-19 cases
With COVID-19 cases rising throughout the NBA, forcing a host of players into the league’s health and safety protocols, several games have been canceled.
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To keep the season in motion and avoid any further disruptions, the NBA and NBPA have reportedly reached an agreement to allow teams to sign one replacement player for every rostered player who tests positive for COVID-19.
Further to that, two-way players will no longer have a cap on the total amount of games they can play in the NBA during the regular season, previously capped at 50 games.
NBA COVID-19 TRACKER:Â Updated team-by-team list of players in health and safety protocols
Another key note in NBA’s roster rule changes for flexibility amid pandemic:
Two-way players — who previously had 50-game max — now have no limit on the number of games they can appear in, sources said. https://t.co/TjwvKcHP9y
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 20, 2021
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, teams will have to sign at least one player once two rostered test positive. When three players test positive, they will have to sign two players and when four players test positive, three replacement players must be signed. If a team has 13 healthy players available to play, they are not required to sign any additional players.Â
Replacement players will have no impact against the team’s salary cap or luxury tax.
As of Sunday, 64 players and two coaches have entered the league’s health and safety protocols over the past six days. The new rules will go into effect immediately and last through Jan. 19, however, if needed the date will be extended, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
