At least 10 referees are currently unavailable due to issues related to COVID-19, ESPN reported Monday.
Many of the absences are tied to contact tracing as opposed to positive tests, per the report, which adds that the NBA expects all officials presently sidelined to be available for the playoffs next month.
Absences are creating more two-man referee crews, which could continue for the next several weeks.
“We at the NBA have taken a very strong stance, especially with referees traveling commercial, that we want referees and the teams that they are serving to be safe,” Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s vice president of referee development and training, told ESPN.
“And so with an…
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