Clippers cancel shootaround for ‘precautionary reasons’

Two days after a Clippers player entered the league’s COVID-19 protocols, the team abruptly canceled its scheduled shootaround at its Playa Vista practice facility Tuesday for “precautionary reasons related to health and safety protocols,” the team announced.

The Clippers are scheduled to face Dallas at Staples Center on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.., and the game is not expected to be affected, a team spokesman said.

It was the team’s decision to cancel shootaround. The league office handles each situation on a case-by-case basis but in general additional testing of a team usually results from a player entering health and safety protocols. In this case, Dallas has not been required to undergo any additional testing, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

On the Clippers’ flight from New Orleans to Los Angeles late Friday night was starting forward Nicolas Batum. Batum was initially ruled out for Sunday’s game against Dallas because of an illness. His condition was subsequently revised to the more serious level of entering the league’s protocols adopted to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

On Sunday, coach Tyronn Lue indicated the team had been tested for COVID before the game and added that Batum is not expected to return soon amid a six-game homestand.

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“I’m not sure the days but I expect him to be out for [a while],” Lue said. “I’m not sure the timetable, though.”

Asked whether any additional players or staffers had entered the league’s health and safety protocols, a team spokesman did not immediately respond Tuesday.