NBA Postpones Games Involving Fully Vaxxed Bulls
Being 100 percent vaccinated has clearly meant little to the Chicago Bulls, who currently have 10 players in the NBA's health and safety protocols.
The NBA has said "additional staff members" have also entered protocols. So in light of all this, the NBA has postponed the Bulls' next two games -- Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons and Thursday at the Toronto Raptors.
They mark the first postponements of the 2021-22 season, one year after the league's abbreviated schedule was packed full of them.
Players and staffers enter the protocols after returning a positive COVID-19 test. They either must wait 10 days or receive two negative tests in a 24-hour span to return.
Despite the NBA and players union stating that the league is 97 percent vaccinated, this has been an ongoing issue across the league. Multiple All-Stars and everyday players have had to sit out as a result of the protocol since the start of the season.
While the vaccine was at first touted as something to eradicate the virus, it has since been touted as something that will only slow the spread or lessen symptoms. It seemingly has failed to do all of those things to this point.
Several NBA players, such as Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving and Indiana Pacers guard/forward Justin Holiday, have reportedly not been vaccinated. The Nets have held out Irving, as New York's vaccine mandate would keep him from playing in games.
“You have a lot of supporters Kyrie,” Hall of Famer John Stockton said, via OutKick's Nick Geddes. “Not all them of can get to you, and you can’t get to all of them, but there’s every bit a majority out there that’s sitting there pulling for you. They’re just not quite as bold as he is. I’m proud of him as an individual to take that kind of individual risk and be that bold for what you feel is right.”
As OutKick's Anthony Farris relayed, Holiday said he is feeling fine after exiting the league's protocols.
Swingman and leading scorer DeMar DeRozan and standout guard Zach LaVine are among the Bulls currently in protocols.