Rob Pelinka praises Lakers team for vaccination rate amid NBA COVID chaos

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to enter opening night with a fully-vaccinated roster, according to Rob Pelinka.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a huge off-court victory prior to opening night of the 2021-22 NBA season. Rob Pelinka, the vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Lakers, praised Los Angeles’ vaccination rate on Wednesday.

With 25 days until the Lakers host the Golden State Warriors to kickoff the regular season, Los Angeles will have made a vital step in combatting COVID-19.

Rob Pelinka says that the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster vaccination rate is expected to be at 100 percent

Rob Pelinka said that the current Lakers’ roster will be fully-vaccinated by opening night on Oct. 19.

Rightfully so, Pelinka expressed his appreciation to UCLA Health for their assistance. It’s been 562 days since the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Those that work in healthcare in the United States have been on an absolute roller coaster since that day.

As for players in the league that are unvaccinated, it’ll almost be as if they’re on a separate team than their vaccinated teammates if the protocols are finalized. Their lockers will be located away from the lockers of those that are vaccinated and they’ll have to eat, fly and ride in separate buses. This is all part of the NBA’s proposed COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The league’s referees and staff are required to be vaccinated, but players are not. Beyond the fact that the vaccine will protect players and those who are around them, it’ll be difficult to truly be part of a team for players that are unvaccinated.

Los Angeles won’t have to worry about jumping through those hoops unless they add a player to the roster that isn’t vaccinated.