Dallas Mavericks veteran forward James Johnson has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.
Johnson has missed the team’s last two games on March 13 and March 15, as he had to travel to Wyoming for a personal matter, head coach Rick Carlisle said.
The NBA requires players to take at least one COVID-19 test per day, so Johnson has to keep registering negative test results before being cleared to join the team.
Johnson will miss at least the team’s next three games on March 17 against the Los Angeles Clippers and March 19 and March 21 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“There’s a chance he will join us in Minnesota [on March 24], depending on the testing,” said Carlisle. “But there was no positive test or anything like that. This is just part of the safety procedures.”
Johnson is the first Mavericks player to enter the protocol since the team’s lengthy outbreak earlier in the season where several players including Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jalen Brunson, Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber all missed a combined 41 games.
In 29 games, Johnson, 34, is averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 17.4 minutes per game.
