Another NBA Superstar Lands In Health and Safety Protocols

The NBA's Health and Safety Protocols list reads like a Who's Who of the sport. Now we can add another superstar to the list: The Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic. 

Luka Doncic has entered the league's COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/EdvIjrnO2p

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 22, 2021

Along with Trey Burke, also added today, that leaves the Mavs with six players out of the lineup due to Covid protocols. Doncic is fully vaccinated, Burke is unvaccinated.

Luka joins other superstars such as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young on the list, leaving the NBA's Christmas Day lineup potentially in shambles. 

Players must remain in health and safety protocols for at least 10 days, unless they can produce two negative PCR tests within 24 hours. 

Doncic had already missed 9 of the Mavs' last 17 games, out with an ankle injury. But before today's announcement, the hope was that he might be able to return to the Mavericks' lineup this week. Kristaps Porzingis is also questionable for Thursday's game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Coach Jason Kidd is merely rolling with the punches at this point. “Everything is changing by the hour,” Kidd said. “Things just change. You just have to adjust.''

Kidd might as well have been speaking for all 30 teams at this point.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports