NBA discussing rules for replacing players due to injury, coronavirus

The NBA is discussing how to replace players lost due to injuries or coronavirus.

Suspending and restarting an NBA season is a massive logistical undertaking, especially when said restart occurs in the wake of a global pandemic and requires 22 teams to be placed inside a bubble outside the usual league facilities.

As such, it’s only natural details — and potential problems — are slowly trickling out as far as what contingencies the league office is making for the rest of this season and the 2020 NBA Playoffs, which will be played under unusual circumstances.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks, the NBA is discussing rules for how teams will be able to replace players lost due to injury or coronavirus. With these being extenuating circumstances, and the fact that players who test positive for COVID-19 will need to be individually quarantined for at least 1-2 weeks, the league is rightfully considering a little more leeway for teams that may be in need of replacement options in a pinch.

The NBA’s discussion revolves around how teams will be able to use players on two-way contracts to fill roster gaps as needed.

Per Woj:

"“If COVID-19 or a serious injury strikes a team during training camps or the eight regular-season seeding games, there is expected to be no limitations on the number of players a team could sign to replace those lost, but there would be restrictions on those in the pool of eligible players, sources said.”"

ESPN reports eligible replacement players likely will have had to be signed to an NBA, G League or training camp contract earlier in the season. That means international players or players who went unsigned this season would be off limits.

For key players who are injured or test positive for COVID-19, most teams will be unlikely to look for a replacement; these replacement options may only be necessary in the event of a player near the end of the rotation being lost.

The crux of the issue boils down to minimizing the number of players (and their families) admitted into the NBA bubble vs. allowing two-way contract players to join as little more than “insurance policies” in the event of an injury or a positive COVID-19 test.

If two-way players were allowed into Orlando, that’d be an additional 44 people in the bubble (two for each of the 22 teams), so this is certainly a conversation to monitor as it continues to develop.