By The Associated Press
The latest from NBA media day on Monday (All times EDT)
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12:45 p.m.
Kyrie Irving joined Brooklyn Nets media day via Zoom, repeatedly asking for privacy when pressed about his vaccination status.
Because of New York coronavirus regulations, all Nets players must be vaccinated in order to play in home games.
Irving says his status will be cleared up at the appropriate time.
Kevin Durant says he trusts in his friend and says he “expects us to have our whole team at some point.”
New Celtics coach Ime Udoka also had to participate in his team’s media day interviews via Zoom on Monday due to a breakthrough case of COVID-19.
In Houston, general manager Rafael Stone says the Rockets are 100 % vaccinated.
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12:25 p.m.
New Orleans Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin says Zion Williamson is recovering from offseason surgery to repair a broken metatarsal in his right foot but could be available for the start of the regular season.
Griffin says the injury occurred on a basketball court while Williamson was working out on his own this summer.
The forward’s “rehab has been done totally in lockstep with the organization, and we’re happy with that,” Griffin says.
Williamson was not with the club during recent voluntary workouts in Nashville, Tennessee, where the Pelicans chose to temporarily relocate after Hurricane Ida. But he has joined the team in New Orleans.
Coach Willie Green says Williamson is working out primarily in swimming pools for the time being to minimize stress on his healing foot, but he should be back on the court during the preseason.
“The timeline is that we’re hopeful he can start the season,” Green said. “Until then, it’s just a progression with him and the medical team.”
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11:15 a.m.
As expected, Ben Simmons will not report to the Philadelphia 76ers when they open training camp on Tuesday.
Team President Daryl Morey said there’s still hope Simmons will return at some point to the Sixers. Coach Doc Rivers said no one has defended Simmons more than he has and will enter camp “with hopes that we do have Ben at some point.”
Simmons, the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft and a three-time All-Star, requested a trade in the offseason. He took the brunt of the blame for the top-seeded Sixers’ second-round exit in last season’s playoffs. He shot 34% from the free-throw line in the postseason and was reluctant to attempt a shot from anywhere on the floor late in games. That led to him spending critical minutes on the bench.
Simmons has $147 million and four years left on his contract. Simmons could be suspended or fined each day he misses camp.
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11:10 a.m.
New Celtics coach Ime Udoka has a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and participated in the team’s media day on Monday through Zoom.
Celtics spokesman Christian Megliola said the coach, who is vaccinated, was asymptomatic and in the last day of his 10-day quarantine. Udoka is expected to be in person with the team when training camp starts on Tuesday, Megliola said.
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11 a.m.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle says his new team has a “very high” vaccination rate but declined to give a specific number because of privacy concerns.
He did say Monday that all members of the coaching staff are fully vaccinated.
Training camps open Tuesday and the pandemic will affect a third NBA season and already means some players will be missing on media day.
The Pacers already have lost backup guard Edmond Sumner, who had surgery last week to repair a torn Achilles tendon and will likely open the season without starting forward T.J. Warren who continues to recover from a stress fracture in his left foot that cost him most of last season.
“Hopefully, it will be weeks, not months,” Carlisle said. “It won’t be days.”
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