As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused another wave in the United States, NBA players have been drastically affected with the virus. As players in the league are in great condition and fully-vaccinated, majority of them are asymptomatic. The league decided to lessen the testing on players this season, which has made it difficult to identify asymptomatic cases.
With the cases continuing to increase in this month of December, many of the franchises are given the chance to sign players on hardship deals for 10 days if their team is hit hard by COVID. Some of these individuals are suiting up in the NBA for the first time in their careers, thus they maximize this opportunity and showcase their talent when they are given the minutes. There are a plethora of talented players all over the world, but some just need a small opening for them to prove their value and worth.
Any NBA fan can easily forget that Isaiah Thomas was fifth in MVP voting in 2017 when he was in the Boston Celtics. A grueling and long term injury caused him to miss a ton of time, and it was obvious that it was drastically affecting his game. After receiving hip resurfacing, pain has been mitigated for Thomas, but there has no team that was willing to take a gamble on him.
Thomas had short stints after his departure in Boston, but that was not an ideal situation for him. The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling mightily this year, and some of their players are also on health and safety protocols. The Lakers gave him a chance, and he was the leading scorer of the team on his first game right away. Thomas was atrocious against the Phoenix Suns, but he deserves a guaranteed deal for this season at the very least.
The Boston Celtics have been ravaged with COVID-19 as well, which forced them to sign a couple of individuals to 10-day contracts as well. Joe Johnson was a surprising acquisition for the Celtics because he has not played in the NBA since 2018, but he is still an incredible shooter that Boston really needs. His quickness and athleticism has decreased already, but he could provide a short six or eight point boost when Boston is struggling offensively.
Even if Johnson will not play in crucial games in the playoffs, his leadership and veteran experience is a much needed asset for the young Boston squad. Even if they have been advancing in the playoffs over the past few seasons, the Celtics still lack vocal leaders that would galvanize the troops at the critical junctures of the season. Al Horford and Marcus Smart are always present, but the 40-year old Johnson is an impeccable addition to this team.
Ersan Ilyasova
Ersan Ilyasova was a big man that was known for his long range prowess and ruggedness at the defensive end of the floor. His first season in the NBA was in 2007, but he provides the hustle and toughness that is necessary for the Chicago Bulls franchise. Patrick Williams is expected to miss the rest of the season, while Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr have not consistently been producing for Billy Donovan.
Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball are already tasked to defend the best players on the offensive end of the court, but Illyasova could be a complementary piece off the bench as well. In the 2019 playoff run of the Milwaukee Bucks, he scored in double figures for four games. Through those excellent numbers in limited minutes, he could still benefit from this unique opportunity presented to him. The Bulls still lack the playoff experience, and Illyasova is a person that could bring that to their organization.
With the slew of individuals on healthy and safety protocols all over the association, it is an unfortunate end to 2021. However with every negative situation in this world opens up a silver lining or an optimistic view for other people. These athletes being signed to hardship exemptions either thought they will never have a chance to play in the league again or they are being rewarded for their debuts in the league.
There are other players being given an incredible chance as well, but these three would be the most important for their squads that could make the playoffs.