NBA COVID fallout: Lance Stephenson (Pacers), Mario Chalmers (Heat), among players signing 10-day contracts

With the omicron variant of COVID-19 spreading at shocking speed, the NBA and the players union have agreed to new rules aimed at helping teams field fuller rosters and helping the league avoid postponements. Teams are permitted to sign one replacement player for each player who tests positive for COVID-19, and teams are required to sign at least one replacement player if two test positive, at least two replacement players if three test positive and at least three if four or more test positive, per ESPN. (For a game to be played, both teams must have eight available players.)

The new rules, which will be in effect until Jan. 19, stipulate that replacement players’ salaries will not count toward the salary cap or luxury tax. When a team has multiple COVID cases on its roster and must sign a replacement, the player must be available by the beginning of its next game.

More than 100 players have signed 10-day contracts, thanks to this new hardship allowance. Isaiah Thomas made his Dallas Mavericks debut last Wednesday, after a short stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, but entered health and safety protocols the next day. Lance Stephenson, briefly Thomas’ teammate with the Grand Rapids Gold, is once again a member of the Indiana Pacers after spending 10 days with the Atlanta Hawks.

Another unlikely reunion: Mario Chalmers and the Miami Heat. The two-time champion has taken his talents back to South Beach after globetrotting from Italy to Greece to Puerto Rico. Chalmers, who had last appeared in an NBA game in 2018 with the Memphis Grizzlies, was called up from — you guessed it! — Grand Rapids. 

On Jan. 5, conventional 10-day contracts — i.e. ones that do not require the hardship allowance — can be signed. This is of particular note to followers of the Los Angeles Lakers, as Stanley Johnson played his way into their starting lineup before his hardship deal expired on Monday. Johnson and the Lakers have mutual interest in another contract, per ESPN.  

If you’re having trouble keeping track of who has gone where, here is a team-by-team list of players who are on 10-day contracts, along with the date they signed (or, in some cases, the day the signing was reported):

Atlanta Hawks

• Chris Clemons (Dec. 29)
• Cam Oliver (Dec. 29)
• Justin Tillman (Dec. 28)
• Chaundee Brown Jr. (Dec. 27)

Brooklyn Nets

• Shaquille Harrison (Dec. 29; second 10-day)
• Langston Galloway (Dec. 26; second 10-day)

Chicago Bulls

• Mac McClung (Jan 1; second 10-day)
• Jordan Bell (Dec. 30)

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Brandon Goodwin (Dec. 31)
• Malik Newman (Dec. 29)

Dallas Mavericks

• Marquese Chriss (Dec. 31; second 10-day)
• Theo Pinson (Dec. 31; second 10-day)
• Isaiah Thomas (Dec. 29)

Denver Nuggets

• Carlik Jones (Jan. 1)
• Rayjon Tucker (Dec. 31)
• Davon Reed (Dec. 30; third 10-day)

Detroit Pistons

• Jaysean Paige (Dec. 31)
• Micah Potter (Dec. 29)
• Trayvon Palmer (Dec. 28)
• Justin Robinson (Dec. 28)
• Deividas Sirvydis (Dec. 26)

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

• Justin Anderson (Jan. 1)
• Lance Stephenson (Jan. 1)
• Ahmad Caver (Dec. 31)
• Nate Hinton (Dec. 30)

Los Angeles Clippers

• Wenyen Gabriel (Dec. 31)
• Xavier Moon (Dec. 26)

Memphis Grizzlies

• Jon Teske (Jan. 3)
• DaQuan Jeffries (Jan. 1)
• Dakota Mathias (Dec. 30)
• Xavier Sneed (Dec. 27)

Miami Heat

• Mario Chalmers (Dec. 31)
• Chris Silva (Dec. 31) 
• Nik Stauskas (Dec. 31)
• Kyle Guy (Dec. 30)
• Haywood Highsmith (Dec. 30)
• Aric Holman (Dec. 30)

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

• Feron Hunt (Dec. 28)
• Justin James (Dec. 26)

New York Knicks

• Damyean Dotson (Dec. 31; second 10-day)
• Matt Mooney (Dec. 31; second 10-day)

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Jaylen Hoard (Dec. 29)
• Rob Edwards (Dec. 27)
• Scotty Hopson (Dec. 27)
• Olivier Sarr (Dec. 27)

Orlando Magic

• Tim Frazier (Dec. 31; second 10-day)
• Freddie Gillespie (Dec. 31; second 10-day)
• Admiral Schofield (Dec. 27; second 10-day)
• Hassani Gravett (Dec. 27; second 10-day)

Philadelphia 76ers

• Charlie Brown Jr. (Jan. 3)

Phoenix Suns

• Bismack Biyombo (Jan. 1)
• Paris Bass (Dec. 31)
• MJ Walker (Dec. 30)
• Emanuel Terry (Dec. 27)

Portland Trail Blazers

• Reggie Perry (Dec. 28)
• Jarron Cumberland (Dec. 26)
• Cameron McGriff (Dec. 26)  
• Brandon Williams (Dec. 26)  

San Antonio Spurs

Washington Wizards

• Tremont Waters (Jan. 1)
• Jaime Echenique (Dec. 30)
• Brad Wanamaker (Dec. 29)
• Alize Johnson (Dec. 28)
• Craig Sword (Dec. 28)
• Jordan Goodwin (Dec. 27)