Lakers: LA Cancels Practice Due To Talen Horton Tucker Testing Positive For Covid-19

Here we go...

The timeline on this went exactly how it has for almost every other team. First, the Lakers canceled practice due to health protocols.

The Lakers have canceled practice today ahead of their flight to Dallas because of health and safety protocols, according to the team.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 14, 2021

Just 40 minutes after that, the positive COVID-19 test was reported. The rapid test is the quick result whereas the PCR takes longer but is more accurate. The PCR test for a player was positive, so the news was out.

A player tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell ESPN. Members of the team were directed to take two tests - a rapid and a PCR - before meeting for the flight to Dallas later this afternoon, should they return negative results on the tests https://t.co/rsCBEBfNlg

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 14, 2021

After that is when they confirmed who the player was, and it's Talen Horton-Tucker.

The player is Talen Horton-Tucker, the Lakers announced. https://t.co/ypBUXn9lsb

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 14, 2021

What's next?

What will follow is to wait on the PCR results. If those come up positive as well, Horton-Tucker will not be allowed to travel and will be in 10-day isolation unless he tests negative a certain amount of times in a row. Having personally gone through this, I can confirm it's a necessary hassle. 

Horton-Tucker Trade?

Horton-Tucker has been the subject of trade rumors everywhere. When LeBron James tweeted a positive tweet in support of Horton-Tucker, the rumors were that James was shopping him. 'Every port in a storm' as they say for Laker fans, but the likelihood the Lakers bring a superstar in for Horton-Tucker is minimal. He has played much better as of late, and his ceiling is still a mile high, but his development is slow. Horton-Tucker is a young player, so Laker fans should actually show a little more patience with him as a whole. If the Lakers were not struggling to win more games, it's less likely that fans would be clamoring for a roster change.