Denver's Jokic tests positive for virus
All-Star forward Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantining in his native Serbia, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Jokic is expected to return to Denver long before the team leaves for the Disney complex for the restart of the NBA season next month, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor the team acknowledged the positive test publicly.
ESPN and The Denver Post previously reported Jokic's positive test, which came on the same day that another top Serbian athlete — Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player — revealed that he and his wife had tested positive for the virus.
Djokovic and Jokic were together at an event earlier this month, though it cannot be concluded it played in a role in the positive test of either athlete.
Jokic is averaging 20.2 points and 10.2 rebounds this season for Denver.
Only four other players — Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, Atlanta's John Collins and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo — are averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.
Cavaliers: Center Andre Drummond plans to exercise his $28.7 million player option for the 2020-21 season and stay with Cleveland. Drummond, who was acquired in a trade from the Detroit Pistons in February, said on an ESPN podcast Tuesday that he intends to pick up the option. Drummond's decision had been expected, but it's the first time he had publicly stated his intentions. Drummond must notify the Cavs in writing about the option by Oct. 17.
Mavericks: Veteran guard Courtney Lee will be sidelined when the Dallas Mavericks are scheduled to resume organized workouts next week. The Mavericks...