Pacers-Wizards summer league game postponed due to contact tracing

Before the first games started, the NBA postponed one involving the Pacers because the Wizards have several players in the health and safety protocol.

Las Vegas has hosted summer league annually since 2004.

LAS VEGAS — The Pacers were scheduled to play in primetime Sunday night to begin summer league, but that game has been postponed due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The concern is with the Washington Wizards, who have at least three players in the protocol: Cassius Winston, Issuf Sanon, Isaiah Todd, the 31st overall pick. Because of contact tracing, they do not have enough players available to suit up.

The decision was made more than six hours before tip-off. This is the first postponement of summer league.

The Pacers now have scheduled a practice for Sunday since they won’t play until Tuesday, against the Hawks at 6:00 p.m. ET. They team took a commercial flight to Las Vegas on Friday, prepared to spend the next 12 days out west.

Click here for the Pacers’ full schedule.

This does give the team additional time to sign first-round pick Isaiah Jackson, who is with the team but yet to practice.

“We’re waiting for the transaction to be finalized,” said Mike Weinar, the head coach of the summer Pacers. “We’re eager to have him out there on the floor. … We’re in the wait-and-see-game.”

Pacers center Goga Bitadze is not with the team due to personal reasons.

“Everybody will get an opportunity,” Weinar said. “What the extent of that is, we’ll see what happens.”

When players arrived to camp, testing is mandatory. Then, it is required daily if an entire team is not vaccinated.

All 30 NBA teams are in Las Vegas and will play five games each from Aug. 8 through Aug. 17.