Report: NBA, NBPA shorten isolation for asymptomatic, vaccinated players

The NBA and NBPA have agreed to revise the league's health and safety protocols to accelerate the return of asymptomatic and vaccinated players, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Prior mandates required players, coaches, and staff to isolate for no fewer than seven days if COVID-19 test results revealed cycle threshold (CT) levels above 35.

The new protocols will permit individuals who've tested positive to return to team activities following a five-day period with CT levels above 30. CT levels are used to determine the viral load of an individual's COVID-19 case. It's a scaled measurement where the higher the number, the less virus was found in the sample, suggesting the person is less likely to be infectious.

A total of 260 players have entered league protocols this season as of Friday morning, including 247 in December. Nine head coaches have also entered protocols this month, and 11 games have been called off after a team failed to submit a league-required roster of eight players.