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Shams: Warriors will be required to sign replacement player

The Warriors are among the NBA teams currently being affected by the recent COVID-19 spike, as guard Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins were placed in the league’s health and safety protocols this weekend. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, citing sources, the Warriors will be required to sign a replacement player.

Charania shared details about the NBA’s evolving roster rules Sunday as the league grapples with widespread positive tests of COVID-19.


Poole and Wiggins will miss Monday’s contest against the Sacramento Kings, who are dealing with positive COVID-19 tests for guards De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell, and big man Alex Len.

Teams around the league have been busy signing replacements to fill depleted rosters. Sans Wiggins (18.7 points per game) and Poole (17.9 points per game), the Warriors are now without their top two scorers behind Steph Curry. Look for rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to have increased roles while Wiggins and Poole are sidelined.

Honestly, I’m not sure if/when there is a deadline for the Warriors to sign their replacement player. This is all uncharted waters as the NBA presses on with its 2021-22 campaign amidst COVID-19 concerns nationwide.

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Though Golden State lost some major firepower on the perimeter, Santa Cruz Warriors big man Jordan Bell makes sense as a quick plug-and-play. The forward is averaging 11 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season while shooting 60 percent from the field for the Sea Dubs. In Friday’s contest against the G League Ignite, Bell scored 15 points with 16 boards, nine assists and three blocks.

Coach Steve Kerr has said Santa Cruz uses the same offensive system and runs the same out of bounds plays as Golden State, so the transition would be easier. Bell played under Kerr from 2017-19 and appeared in one game with the Warriors last season.

Charania also reported that two-way players won’t have a 50-game NBA cap this season, which applies to the Warriors’ Chris Chiozza and Jeff Dowtin Jr.