With Alize Johnson testing positive, the Chicago Bulls now have 10 players actively in the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols.
Chicago Bulls forward Alize Johnson has tested positive for Covid and entered league protocols, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 13, 2021
Here is what a healthy Bulls roster looks like:
Lonzo Ball
Alex Caruso
Nikola Vucevic
Tony Bradley
Marko Simonovic
Devon Dotson (two-way)
Tyler Cook (two-way)
Alfonzo McKinnie (10-day contract)
The NBA states that a team must have a minimum of eight players to participate in a game. The group above technically fulfills that requirement, but if anyone is added to the injury report before Tuesday night’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons, the show can not go on.
With the Bulls dancing so close to the edge, the show SHOULDN’T go on regardless of what comes next. Indeed, the Bulls were already appealing for an exception before Johnson was added.
Not only is forcing this version of the team to take the floor a massive competitive disadvantage, but it’s borderline reckless. The Bulls clearly continue to spread it among one another, which puts every team they play at risk, as well.
Not to mention the fact that the United Center has become a hotspot, with names like Bill Wennington, Stacey King, and ESPN’s Jamal Collier all entering protocols, as well. Asking fans and staff to enter that environment right now feels foolish. Yes, everyone allowed in the arena and around the team has taken the proper precautions by getting the vaccine (which is why the cases have largely been asymptomatic or very light!), but the point is still to stop the spread. The point is still not to take the risk of infecting someone altogether. The NBA has to help the Chicago Bulls accomplish that.
