Evan Fournier out vs. Thunder, enters COVID health and safety protocols

The usual suspects remain on today’s Celtics’ injury report against the Thunder. Tristan Thompson and Romeo Langford remain out while they navigate the league’s health and safety protocols. Kemba Walker will sit out his customary second game of a back-to-back after playing 31 minutes last night and scoring 21 points in a blowout of the Bucks. Semi Ojeleye will sit out his second straight game with a left side strain he suffered in the first game in Milwaukee after being hit with a blind screen from Jrue Holiday.

The surprise addition (or subtraction, depending on your perspective) is the newly acquired Evan Fournier. He’s out in Oklahoma City tonight, also due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Yesterday, he was in Boston getting his physical and was presumably en route to help finish out the Celtics four-game road trip and play in his first game, but that will now have to wait.

When asked how long Fournier’s quarantine would be, head coach Brad Stevens said, “I don’t want to get into the details because I don’t know the answers.”

For now, it’s unclear if Fournier tested positive for COVID-19 or is out due to contact tracing. If it’s the latter, exposure to COVID-19 means that Fournier will have to test negatively for seven days before leaving quarantine. He could potentially return next Sunday when the Celtics host old friends Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, Brad Wanamaker, and the Hornets. Coincidentally, Fournier was acquired using the TPE generated from Hayward’s departure to Charlotte.

Fournier is having the best season of his nine-year career, averaging 19.7 points on 46.1% shooting from the field and 3.7 assists per game. The 27-year-old is set to become a free agent when his $17 million contract expires this summer.