Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa join COVID protocols

Adrian Wojnarowski: Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa have entered the league’s Covid protocols, sources tell ESPN.
Source: Twitter @wojespn

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Mike Ganter @Mike_Ganter
Uggg. Now Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa in health and safety protocols. That’s seven. Lone Raptors’ starter remaining is Anunoby. They have to be considering postponing tomorrow in Chicago, don’t they? – 2:00 PM

NBA Math @NBA_Math
Current RPR ROY Predictor standings, determined our Rolling Player Ratings and team success:
1. Scottie Barnes: 7.44
2. Evan Mobley: 6.93
3. Franz Wagner: 4.07
4. Cade Cunningham: 3.31
5. Chris Duarte: 3.23
6. Alperen Sengun: 1.98
7. Josh Giddey: 1.74
8. Davion Mitchell: 1.6 pic.twitter.com/kYFuJnbG2q – 10:45 AM

Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Raptors blog on the magic of Scottie Barnes and the idiocy of the Fred VanVleet/Westbrook aggregation: https://t.co/Da9kpdyhHQ pic.twitter.com/2ASrlfaupr – 8:25 PM

Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
Top Rookies on Sat
Cade Cunningham, 21 pts, 7 reb, 11 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk
Scottie Barnes, 21 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast
David Duke Jr., 18 pts, 14 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk
Josh Giddey, 8 pts, 18 reb, 10 ast
Jonathan Kuminga, 27 pts, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 4-6 3P – 11:53 PM

Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
What did Precious Achiuwa do while he was in isolation? “I cooked, binge watched a lot of shows, watched movies. I had to get real creative.”
What did he cook? “Oh I’m very diverse. I’m a chef. I don’t just do the milk and Oreos thing. I’m not just a snack specialist.” pic.twitter.com/44ABHWcOYh – 10:37 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Precious Achiuwa: “It was annoying … being fully vaccinated and thinking of getting the booster shot as well and testing negative multiple times a day but still being isolated [because] I was near someone who tested positive]. It was weird and frustrating at the same time.” – 10:10 PM

Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Precious Achiuwa says his cooking is very diverse.
“I’m a chef.” – 10:10 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Precious Achiuwa says he’s not just a snack specialist. He can cook too – 10:09 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Precious Achiuwa spent his isolation cooking and binge-watching.
What’s his specialty as a chef? “I’m very diverse.” – 10:09 PM

Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Raptors-Warriors is another reminder; this is one of the best rookie classes in recent memory. Scottie Barnes is getting whatever he wants out there, and Golden State’s got a good one in Jonathan Kuminga. Crazy to think they’ve got the luxury of easing the guy in. – 9:15 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Scottie Barnes proving he’s too good for the G-League. – 8:01 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Precious Achiuwa is playing, and just scored! – 7:55 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Chris Boucher is starting over Precious Achiuwa – 7:36 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
OG Anunoby is not in the layup line 15 minutes before the game, but Precious Achiuwa is. Does it mean anything? Let’s find out! – 7:20 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Precious Achiuwa has joined his teammates for the pre-game lay-up line, He had previously been ruled out but perhaps with Siakam and Banton out (protocols) that’s changed. – 7:19 PM

Mike Ganter @Mike_Ganter
Raptors enter the health and safety protocols derby with Pascal Siakam and Dalano Banton now on that list and out for tonight. The Raptors will get both OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa back after lengthy absences. – 6:24 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Precious Achiuwa is a late addition and will play tonight – 6:15 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
OG Anunoby returns tonight for the Raptors. Khem Birch remains out, as does Precious Achiuwa because of his shoulder. – 5:47 PM

Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
OG Anunoby returns tonight, Khem Birch (knee) and Precious Achiuwa (shoulder) are out. – 5:46 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
As of 530 injury report, Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby and Khem Birch are questionable vs. Warriors tonight, though expectation is Birch will not play. The Raptors remain protocol free for now, somehow. – 5:37 PM

More on this storyline

Sarah K. Spencer: Hawks have three hardship exception slots but as of now plan to only sign two players, Lance Stephenson and Malcolm Hill, I’m told. Those likely won’t become official until tomorrow. -via Twitter @sarah_k_spence / December 21, 2021

Two Hawks players, Danilo Gallinari and Clint Capela, plus three staff members entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols Tuesday. They join Trae Young, who entered protocols Sunday and is still there. -via Atlanta Journal-Constitution / December 21, 2021

Bobby Marks: Besides roster expansion, teams are applauding the leagues approach on wiping out the financial cost as it relates to the tax. A team like Toronto is $270K below the tax. Under normal circumstances, signing 4 players to a hardship exception would put them in the tax. -via Twitter @BobbyMarks42 / December 21, 2021