Here’s the Celtics’ timeline for Jayson Tatum and others to return

On Tuesday, the NBA announced that a third consecutive game for the Boston Celtics would be postponed due to COVID-19 protocols – the game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

The Celtics have now been forced to push back games against Magic, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat due to positive Test results and subsequent contact detection. Boston will once again take on Orlando on Friday.

So will they have enough players? We can not project anyone who can test positive in the future or be forced into quarantine, but we can make some good guesses about when players in quarantine can currently return based on the league’s COVID protocols. Here’s a look at the landscape.

Jayson Tatum

According to Gary Washburn of the Globe, Tatum tested positive on Friday. According to reports, he is asymptomatic.

Tatum is immediately in isolation and will have to be quarantined for ten days according to the league’s COVID protocols. Since he tested positive, he will not be allowed to practice during his quarantine, even in isolation. After clearing the quarantine, Tatum will have to go under the supervision of individual training sessions for two days before returning to court, as long as he remains asymptomatic. If he has symptoms, or if he is admitted to the hospital, Tatum should be monitored for three days before returning.

If Tatum is still asymptomatic, he could possibly start individual training sessions again on Tuesday, but the next two days will probably still keep him out through the Celtics’ game next Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jaylen Brown

Brown was fired due to contact with Tatum as part of the league’s contact tracking protocol. As of Tuesday night, it was not clear whether Brown tested positive or not. If he has not done so, his initial contact should be traced from Friday. Kevin Durant had to be quarantined for seven days due to contact detection. If Brown continues to test negative, he could be available again on Saturday.

Semi Oeieye

Like Brown, Oeieye’s contact search began Friday. If he does not test positive, he may be available again on Saturday.

Javonte Green

Along with Brown and Oeieye, Green has been ruled out due to contact detection with Tatum and could be available again on Saturday if he gives negative tests. He has now twice been forced to go under quarantine due to health and safety protocols this season.

Robert Williams

Williams tested positive, but was reportedly asymptomatic, meaning his lane had to be the same as that of Tatum. It appears that Williams tested positive on Thursday, and that is when the Celtics listed him as ‘questionable’ on the injury report due to health and safety protocols (presumably the Celtics are waiting for a second positive test, which would explain the ‘doubtful’ designation )).

Due to the extra two days of monitored practice required for an asymptomatic player with a positive test, Williams will not be available this weekend. If his positive test was Thursday, his second day of monitored practice would be Tuesday, which could clear him up in theory ahead of Wednesday’s game. This, of course, assumes Williams feels good enough to play.

Grant Williams

Williams was excluded due to contact detection with Robert Williams (according to Gary Washburn, both Grant and Robert Williams as well as Tristan Thompson were unmasked in a car with Carsen Edwards wearing a mask). If Grant Williams did not test positive, and if Robert Williams’ positive test was Thursday, Grant would be available again on Friday when the Celtics take on the Orlando Magic.

Tristan Thompson

Like both Grant and Robert Williams, Thompson was questioned Thursday and then out Friday due to contact detection. Like Grant Williams, he could be available on Friday, which will help the Celtics get a list.

An unnamed player

We do not know who the final player is and whether they are not gone due to a positive test or contact detection. Presumably, however, that finalist was not part of Tatum’s contact detection, as the Celtics were prepared to play Sunday’s game against the Heat with him (whoever it is) in the series. By Monday afternoon, the unnamed player had been ruled out, forcing Tuesday’s postponement.

Assuming the player tested positive on Monday and is asymptomatic, his best scenario is for a return on January 24th. If the player is excluded due to contact detection and still tests negative, he will be available on Jan again. 19.