Markkanen joins kevin Love on the sidelines.
The Cavaliers have another player out after being placed in the league’s health NBA’s health & safety protocols.
Per a release from the team, Lauri Markkanen has been placed in the protocols and is, at minimum, out tonight when the Cavs host the Portland Trail Blazers. Per cleveland.com, he is not expected to travel with the team this weekend when they go back on the road to play the Raptors and the Knicks.
Markkanen, the Cavs’ starting small forward this year after being acquired from the Bulls, joins Kevin Love in the protocols. With those two out, plus Isaac Okoro still out with a hamstring injury, Cleveland’s rotation has taken a huge hit.
It’s unclear who will fill in for Markkanen in the starting lineup or how J.B. Bickerstaff will adjust his rotation now that another piece is out. It would seem likely that Cedi Osman would start at small forward with some combination of Dean Wade, Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler getting more minutes off of the bench.
The Cavs tipoff against the Trail Blazers tonight at 7 p.m.