Four members of the Houston Rockets are expected to make their regular-season debuts on Thursday, but rookie KJ Martin will have to wait a little bit longer to take the floor.
Martin reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus and has yet to play with the Rockets during the regular season. The positive test from Martin also forced John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and Mason Jones to enter a mandatory seven-day quarantine as the group of players were in close contact at an apartment getting haircuts last week.
Houston welcomed back the four players to practice on Wednesday, which served as an important step in turning the season around. The Rockets have been shorthanded, often only fielding a nine-man roster, due to the issues surrounding the coronavirus and have started the season 0-2 as a result.
Meanwhile, the timeline for Martin to return to the team is unclear.
The NBA outlined prior to the start of the season that any player who tests positive for the coronavirus will be forced to wait at least 10 days from the initial positive test or test negative twice 24 hours apart via PCR testing to be cleared. The player is also not allowed to exercise for at least 10 days.
With Martin still to return, Houston finally appears to be nearing full strength after a chaotic start to the regular season. The team will be looking to put the first week of the season behind them and get back on track starting with the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
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