Lakers reportedly under quarantine, will test for COVID-19

[March 18, 2020]  Members of the Los Angeles Lakers are under quarantine for 14 days and will be tested for COVID-19, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The Lakers reportedly participated in a team conference call on Tuesday after the Brooklyn Nets, their most recent opponent, disclosed that four of their players tested positive for coronavirus. Only one of those four players showed symptoms. Among them is All-Star Kevin Durant, who is idle in his first season with the Nets as he recovers from an Achilles operation.

The Nets and Lakers played March 10.

The Lakers issued a press release Tuesday evening that did not specifically mention whether players are being quarantined or tested. However, the statement read, in part, "Given the exposure risks from our game against the Nets on March 10th, we are following the next steps of our COVID-19 procedures and protocol that are established in consultation with various health officials, the NBA and our UCLA Health doctors."

Brooklyn was on a West Coast swing and had been scheduled to play in the first fan-free game at Chase Center in San Francisco last Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. The Nets instead flew home from San Francisco after the NBA called off all games last Wednesday night, starting with two contests scheduled for that evening.

The Los Angeles Lakers logo is pictured past the profile of Lakers spokesman John Black during a news briefing regarding the death of longtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss, at the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo, California, February 18, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn

To date, the Nets' foursome and two members of the Jazz -- All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell -- plus Christian Wood of the Detroit Pistons are NBA players known to have tested positive for the virus.

The NBA is on hiatus for at least 30 days and not expected to play again for eight weeks, if not longer.

--Field Level Media

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