Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel will not coach the team in Sunday evening’s game against the Chicago Bulls after entering the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, the Lakers announced Sunday.
Assistant coach David Fizdale will take over head coaching duties for the Lakers in Chicago.
Los Angeles will also be without Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley, Malik Monk, Austin Reaves and Kent Bazemore due to COVID-19 protocols, and without star big man Anthony Davis due to a knee injury that will keep him out of action for at least a month.
Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook was in the protocols last week, but was activated after a series of negative tests. Los Angeles signed veteran guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract, and Thomas scored 19 points off the bench in his debut Friday night in Minnesota, but the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves, 110-92.
“It’s just craziness. There’s chaos involved,” Vogel, 48, said Friday night. “Like every few hours, you’re hearing a new guy is out or in [Westbrook’s] case a new guy is in that you thought was out. It’s just a crazy time.”
The Bulls will be playing their first game since a COVID outbreak caused two of their scheduled games to be postponed last week.