The Brooklyn Nets can’t catch a break when it comes to their roster.
Shortly after the club announced the signing of forward Lance Thomas — their fourth and final allowed substitute player — reports surfaced Tuesday afternoon that fellow replacement player Michael Beasley has left the NBA’s bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Beasley tested positive for COVID-19.
“Nets forward Michael Beasley tested positive for coronavirus, returned home and his roster status is up in the air,” Charania tweeted.
Thomas, 32, last played in the NBA in April 2019 with the New York Knicks. In eight NBA seasons with New Orleans, Oklahoma City and the Knicks, Thomas has averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 rebounds over 18.4 minutes per game in 392 games (124 starts).
He played collegiately at Duke and was undrafted. He made his NBA debut in 2011.
Along with Thomas and Beasley, the Nets signed guard Jamal Crawford and forward Donta Hall. Teams are allowed a maximum of four substitute players.
Already without injured All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant — who has stated he will not return this season as he continues to rehab from a torn Achilles suffered more than a year ago — Brooklyn has seen guard Spencer Dinwiddie and big men DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chandler and Taurean Prince all opt out of playing when the season restarts.
Dinwiddie, Prince and Jordan have all tested positive for COVID-19.
The Nets sit seventh in the Eastern Conference at 30-34. Their first game is against the Orlando Magic, currently a half-game back in eighth in the East, on July 31. The Nets will play seven more games while trying to avoid a play-in for a playoff spot.
(Field Level Media)
