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Soap opera James Harden in Houston now comes with a canceled season opener and a $ 50,000 (NZ $ 70,380) fine for the league’s leading scorer.
Houston’s first game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday (Thursday New Zealand time) was ruled out after coronavirus cases and Harden’s violation of the NBA’s Covid-19 protocols left the Rockets without all eight players. league bound available.
It was a daunting blow to the NBA on just the second night of an uncertain start to the season with the pandemic still in full swing.
Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle via AP
Houston Rockets star James Harden was found to have violated Covid-19 protocols (FILE PHOTO).
The NBA announced the postponement in a statement that said that three Rockets players had returned tests that were positive or inconclusive and that four other players were quarantined due to contract monitoring.
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The statement also said Harden was unavailable for the game due to a violation of health and safety protocols after video of the disgruntled star appeared on social media where he was without a mask at a crowded party in a space. for private events on Monday nights.
Later, the league announced the fine for Harden, saying protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments.
Already a distraction for the team amid months of rumors that he wants to be traded, Harden’s latest move potentially threatened the health and safety of his team and prevented the Rockets from starting their season.
Houston has 16 players on its roster; with seven testing or quarantine related and one injury, that would have left eight eligible players, which is the league’s minimum to start a game. Harden’s unavailability brought Houston’s total available players to seven.
Houston’s injury report released Wednesday said Ben McLemore and rookie KJ Martin were not with the team and self-isolating and that DeMarcus Cousins was questionable due to a sprained right ankle.
Harden’s deleted Instagram post explaining why he attended the event in question would certainly suggest that he was violating those rules.
In the post he wrote: “One thing after another. I went to show my house girl love at her event (not a strip club) because she’s becoming boss and she’s putting her people in a position of success and now she’s trouble. Every day is something different. No matter how many times people try to drag my name, you can’t. Real people always finish on top. “
Carmen Mandato / AP
James Harden went to a crowded party this week (FILE PHOTO).
But for now, the eight-time All-Star is on the shelf after admitting he broke the rules laid out in the protocols.
“In light of the severe and highly infectious nature of the coronavirus … individuals should not engage in activities or conduct that a reasonable person would consider to pose an unnecessary risk in relation to the significance (or lack thereof) of such activity or conduct, “say the protocols.
Harden, according to protocols, can now be quarantined and could lose around US $ 280,000 (NZ $ 394,000) for every game lost. Houston’s next scheduled game is Saturday in Portland.
The league has told teams that any player who misses games while in quarantine because he broke protocols will lose game controls.
Oklahoma City was also involved in the March 11 game that led to the league shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic; The Thunder were to have been the home team that night for a game against Utah, canceled when it emerged that Jazz center Rudy Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive for Covid-19.
The Thunder, unknowingly, now find themselves back in history.
