Clippers guard Patrick Beverley leaves NBA bubble for 'emergency personal matter'
The Los Angeles Clippers have lost another player inside the NBA bubble.
Clippers guard Patrick Beverley left Walt Disney World on Tuesday night for “an emergency personal matter,” according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. It’s not clear what the emergency is, however Beverley does plan to rejoin the team inside the bubble in the future.
Beverley’s departure comes just days after center Montrezl Harrell left the bubble to deal with a family emergency.
The team is also without center Ivica Zubac and guard Landry Shamet, who have yet to report to the bubble. Coach Doc Rivers declined to provide an explanation regarding Zubac and Shamet’s absences last week, too, though at least Zubac is expected to join the team at some point.
“I don’t even know, to be honest,” Rivers said. “I don’t even check. JaMychal walked in and surprised the hell out of me. … Because they’re in quarantine and stuff, you don’t ever know.”
Beverley averaged 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds this season with the Clippers, his eighth in the league. The 32-year-old is in the first year of a three-year, nearly $40 million deal with the team.
The Clippers will enter the restart with a 44-20 record, the second best in the Western Conference behind only the Los Angeles Lakers. The team has long been considered a favorite to win the NBA title this season, too.
The team isn’t alone in being shorthanded, however. New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson left the bubble for a family emergency last week, too, and the Nuggets are still waiting for players to clear quarantine and health screenings after not arriving on time.
The Clippers will play their first seeding game next Thursday. Beverley, along with his teammates also not in the bubble, will only be allowed to rejoin the team after spending several days in quarantine — meaning he has limited time to get back to Florida before he’ll end up missing games.
Until then, Rivers may have to start getting creative with his roster inside the bubble.
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