By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Sunday’s training camp started for the Rockets without star player James Harden. The reason for his absence’s NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, coach Stephen Silas said.
Harden, who is still rumored to be willing to be traded to the Nets, posted pictures on Instagram over the weekend that showed him attending rapper Lil Baby’s birthday party in Atlanta without wearing a face mask.
This action broke the NBA COVID-19 protocols which required players to quarantine at home this week other than testing at team facilities, individual workouts, and essential activities such as grocery shopping.
“I’m not exactly sure what hoops he has to jump through in order to practice with the team,” said Silas, who didn’t have an answer when asked if Harden still wants to be in Houston.
“That’s a question you’re going to have to ask him when he gets here,” Silas said. “We’re looking forward to having him here and getting to his individual workout. That’s the word I heard from the pipeline. Once he gets here, obviously the best communication for me would be face-to-face communication — not text, not phone, not anything else. I’m looking forward to him getting here, getting in the building, and then we can talk about what’s best. But you know, that’s kind of a work in progress right now.”