Kristaps Porzingis
Photo: Smiley N. Pool/Dallas Morning News

Kristaps Porzingis could play his first game of the 2020/21 season in short order, with the Dallas Mavericks set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

The Latvian star participated in his first full practice session late last month and has since been upgraded to questionable, per ESPN’s Tim McMahon, who reports the development has nothing to do with the Mavs’ situation as it pertains to health and safety protocols.

The Mavericks shut down their practice facility on Sunday morning after forward Maxi Kleber tested positive for COVID-19. Kleber was the team’s second positive case in three days – either Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson, or Dorian Finney-Smith tested positive on Friday.

The latter trio remained quarantined in Denver, where the Mavericks beat the Nuggets in overtime the previous night.