Dwight Howard and Malik Monk joined Talen Horton-Tucker in the NBA's health and safety protocols and will miss the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, the team announced on Tuesday night.

Horton-Tucker was placed in health and safety protocols earlier on Tuesday after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. The Lakers players each underwent PCR and rapid tests before flying to Dallas. Evidently, Monk and Howard's tests came back positive.

According to various reports, Monk traveled with the team to Dallas then was safely transported back to Los Angeles, while Howard didn't make the trip. Per league rules, vaccinated players have to quarantine for 10 days or provide two negative PCR tests in a 24-hour window before resuming basketball activities.

Two weeks ago, LeBron James became the first Lakers player this season to enter health and safety protocols, though his positive test turned out to be false.

Howard declined to speak about vaccines on Media Day, though Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and head coach Frank Vogel said their team would be 100% vaccinated by opening night.

The NBA is dealing with widespread COVID-19 outbreaks as testing ramps up around the holidays.

Howard is averaging 5.0 points and 5.4 assists in 2021-22. Monk is putting up 9.7 points on 36.1% three-point shooting in 23.8 minutes per game.

Anthony Davis (knee soreness), who has missed the past two games, is currently listed as questionable on the injury report for the Dallas matchup. If he can't go the Lakers will have just 10 available players on Wednesday.

The Lakers are scheduled to visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, then face the Chicago Bulls on Sunday at the United Center. Chicago's next two games have been postponed as 10 of their players are in protocols. The Lakers-Bulls bout has already been pushed back from 2:30 p.m. CT to 7 p.m. CT.