Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns high fives Devin Booker #1 after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on November 17, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns has entered health and safety protocols, the team said Monday.
Ayton is now the third Suns player in the protocols, joining Jae Crowder and Elfrid Payton, along with head coach Monty Williams.
The first pick in the 2018 draft out of Arizona, Ayton is averaging 17.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Veteran JaVale McGee is likely to sub for Ayton in the starting lineup. McGee has acquitted himself well, playing in all 32 of the Suns’ games with an average of 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. He has made eight starts.
The Suns entered Monday night’s game with the visiting Memphis Grizzlies as the second seed in the Western Conference with a 26-6 record. They are scheduled to host Oklahoma City on Wednesday night and travel to Boston for a New Year’s Eve game.
Also on Monday, the NBA changed the length a vaccinated and asymptomatic player must quarantine from 10 to six days.