Miami Heat rookie guard Kendrick Nunn has left the NBA's campus at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for undisclosed personal reasons, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The absence is not thought to be Covid-related.
Spoelstra says Kendrick Nunn not back with the team "and we'll have more information tomorrow."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 8, 2020
The team was prepping for Nunn's possible departure and expect him back in a few days, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Nunn has been the Heat's starting point guard for most of the season, and produced an impressive rookie campaign—at least until the hiatus. He's averaging 15.2 points per game, shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from deep, and 84.0 from the free throw line in 66 games, but just 7.8 points per game in four seeding games.
Any player who leaves Orlando (with team approval) must test negative each day outside the bubble or in each of the seven days before re-entering. In that scenario, that player only has to quarantine for four days upon returning. If protocols are broken, that player would have to quarantine for 10-to-14 days upon his return to Disney World.
If Nunn is out for over a week, he would not be available for the start of the team's postseason run on Aug. 17—though it doesn't sound like the team is expecting that scenario to occur.
Without Nunn, the banged-up Goran Dragic would probably move into Erik Spoeltra's Heat starting lineup. But Dragic is now battling an ankle injury that has ruled him out of Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Jimmy Butler also remains out with a foot injury.
Instead, expect rookie guard Tyler Herro to take on more point guard duties. Andre Iguodala could also assume some of the ball-handling load until Nunn returns.
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