Trae Young enters NBA’s COVID-19 protocols: How many games will Hawks star miss?

The Hawks could be without Trae Young for some time.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the only All-Star has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Young appeared to confirm the report on Twitter.

Young has appeared in all 29 Atlanta games so far this season, averaging 27.3 points, 9.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals.

Young was originally listed as questionable for the Hawks’ Dec. 19 meeting with the Cavaliers with left ankle pain. That game has since been postponed because “players and staff members entered NBA health and safety protocols.”

MORE: Updated team-by-team player list in health and safety protocols

Why did Trae Young enter the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols?

As TSN’s Gilbert McGregor recently detailed, any vaccinated NBA player is placed on health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19 or receiving an inconclusive COVID-19 test result.

In addition to receiving a positive or inconclusive result, an unvaccinated player is also placed in league health and safety protocols if they are deemed to have been exposed to a person who is positive for COVID-19.

MORE: Explanation of NBA COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols

How long will Trae Young be out?

If any player tests positive for COVID-19, they must spend a minimum of 10 days away from their team, unless they return two negative PCR tests within 24 hours.

Unvaccinated players who are marked for contact tracing must remain in quarantine for seven days and can return to action if they continue to return negative tests. In most cases, vaccinated players who are marked for contact tracing will not be required to self-quarantine, but will need seven days of more frequent testing.

In addition to receiving clearance from the league, individual teams can implement a return-to-play program to ensure that a player is prepared for the cardiovascular demands of returning to the court.

Over the past few weeks, several players have tested the league’s health and safety protocols to return to their team in less than 10 days.

Will Trae Young play at Christmas?

Since entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Dec. 19, Young would have to test the protocols to play in Atlanta’s Christmas Day meeting with New York.

If Young is out for 10 days, he could miss Atlanta’s next five games.

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