Nick Nurse Among 6 Raptors Coaches to Enter NBA's Health and Safety Protocols

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and five other coaches entered the NBA's health and safety protocols, the team announced on Friday. 

The six coaches will not be on the bench for Friday's game against the Houston Rockets, and Sergio Scariolo will be the acting head coach. He was already in quarantine after returning to the United States after coaching the Spanish National Team for the EuroBasket 2022 qualifying games earlier this month. 

The Raptors will also be without star forward Pascal Siakam on Friday due to the league's health and safety protocols, according to the NBA's injury report. 

General manager Bobby Webster did not disclose whether the coaches tested positive, had inconclusive tests or were identified through contact tracing during his press conference Friday evening. Additionally, he did not name which five assistants would not be on the bench against the Rockets.  

Webster said there would be four coaches including Scariolo on the bench against Houston. He hinted that they might've called up a few G league coaches if the 905 were not playing on Friday night. He did say this could be an option moving forward.

Nurse and the five assistant will be working remotely, Toronto announced in a statement, and details of their return will be made public "when appropriate."

According to the NBA's health and safety protocols for this season, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 either has to test negative twice 24 hours apart or go at least 10 days after the first test or the onset of symptoms before returning.

At this time, it is not known whether the six coaches tested positive or were identified as high-risk close contacts. The Raptors have yet to have a player miss a game due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols this season.