Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is going public with his positive coronavirus diagnosis and he’s experiencing symptoms.
The Brooklyn Nets may be losing another key player for the NBA’s restart in Orlando. Spencer Dinwiddie told Shams Charania of The Athletic that he recently tested positive for coronavirus. Not only that, but Dinwiddie says he’s experiencing fevers and chest tightness.
“Originally, we were supposed to be one of the teams to enter into the Orlando bubble early, but training camp got switched back to New York and unfortunately I am now positive,” Dinwiddie said. “Given that I have experienced symptoms, including fever and chest tightness, it is unclear on whether or not I’ll be able to participate in Orlando.
“Hindsight is 20/20.”
This is no joke. Rudy Gobert was patient zero in the NBA and he recently told French newspaper L’Equipe that he is still experiencing some of the side effects from the virus. Clearly, we still don’t know all that much about coronavirus and its lasting effects.
It’s unclear exactly how many players have tested positive for coronavirus during the shutdown, but at least five Nets, including Dinwiddie and Kevin Durant, are among the positive cases. Durant and three of his Nets teammates tested positive in mid-March.
Whether or not Dinwiddie plays should be completely up to him. Forward Wilson Chandler already told the team that he is opting out due to health and family concerns. Again, this is a personal decision that each player should be allowed to make on their own terms.
With that said, Dinwiddie would be a much bigger loss than Chandler. No disrespect to the veteran forward, but Dinwiddie is capable of playing at an All-Star level and elevating Brooklyn to a much different level.
Although the Nets are going to be massive underdogs against whoever they face in the first round of the playoffs, the backcourt pairing of Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert has enough juice to make a few games interesting. Without Dinwiddie, LeVert’s one-man show might not be so successful.
Of course, basketball matters should be secondary to Dinwiddie’s health.
