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GM Sean Marks says Nets' four players now free of coronavirus symptoms

In a conference call Wednesday morning, the Brooklyn Nets revealed some good news regarding the new coronavirus as the four players on the team who tested positive for it are now symptom free.

Superstar forward Kevin Durant was reportedly among that group of players, but as of two weeks ago he was asymptomatic. Per Newsday , GM Sean Marks said Wednesday that the team’s entire traveling party completed their 14-day home isolation after the team announced on March 17 that one player was exhibiting symptoms.

Additionally, Marks said he hasn’t spoken with coaching candidates as the team parted ways with coach Kenny Atkinson in early March. Per Newsday, Marks said he will take a collaborative approach by speaking with Durant, Kyrie Irving and others while adding the final decision on the new coach will be made by Marks and team management.

Durant and Irving are both out for the season. Durant ruled himself out for the season in late October and has yet to play a game for Brooklyn as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Irving played in just 20 games before being shut down on Feb. 20 for the rest of 2019-20 with a shoulder injury. Marks said he didn’t know if Durant or Irving would be able to play if the playoffs took place later this summer.

“I couldn’t give an answer on when they’ll play this season,” Marks said, per ESPN. “I don’t think it’s fair to those athletes nor the performance team to put a timeline on it. I think everyone is dealing with bigger, far more pressing things.”

A potential extra couple of months could benefit the injured players. But with all team practice facilities shut, the time it takes to rehab may be lengthened.

“I think something we have to think about is our facilities are closed and just by getting time off, yes, does that make your body heal and so forth?” Marks said. “But there were several of our players that need the facilities, need game reps, need to be playing, and you could take the other side of this and say that this hiatus has set their rehabilitation back and it’s slowed them.”

And without the team being able to see them, only the players know for sure where they are.

“We’re talking to them and FaceTiming them and so forth, but it’s quite different to having those guys on the court,” Marks said. “And they know their bodies better than anyone else, so at the right time and when they’re a hundred present and they’re up for it, I’m sure they’ll be making those decisions.”

Brooklyn’s most recent game was March 10 in Los Angeles against the Lakers. After the Nets announced their test results, the Lakers — who have the NBA’s second-best record this season and two of the game’s biggest stars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis — indicated that their team will now be tested. The Lakers said Tuesday that their players completed their 14-day home isolation and that all players are currently symptom-free of COVID-19.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart took to social media on Monday to declare he has been cleared of the coronavirus. Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, the first two NBA players to test positive for coronavirus, were cleared of it on March 27. Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood — who matched up against Gobert in Utah’s March 7 road win — reportedly tested positive for coronavirus as well. Wood also reportedly showed signs of full recovery last week, too.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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