Health and Safety Update: VanVleet, Anunoby, and more will sit out tomorrow’s game

As previously reported, we have a game time for tomorrow’s Raptors vs. Pistons game to be held in Amalia Arena in Tampa, Florida. The two teams are to meet tomorrow at 7pm to fulfil the requirements of the 2020-21 regular season. The Pistons are, as of this moment, free of any health and safety concerns related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Raptors, however, are not.

As per Toronto’s recent announcement, we now know who is in for tomorrow’s game from the Raptors and who is most definitely out. Let’s get to the names of who will sit out on the Raptors.

OUT: Pascal Siakam (as previously reported), Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Patrick McCaw, and Malachi Flynn.

That leaves the Raptors with a projected starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, DeAndre’ Bembry, Chris Boucher, and Aron Baynes to take on the Pistons tomorrow.

Given their dire need for players now that Toronto’s “injured” list will include five out of their 17 players, the Raptors are recalling Jalen Harris and the recently signed Donta Hall just in case. For more context on the latter, check out JD’s Prospect Report from earlier today. As for the former, Harris has been absent since February 22 with a dislocated finger. In addition, Toronto is also set to gain from the reported decision to lift the 50-game limit on two-way players, which means they no longer have to manage Yuta Watanabe’s situation — they’ll be free to play him as needed for the rest of the year.

And finally, we have to add here that the Raptors’ coaching staff is still down quite a few members. During Friday night’s ill-advised game, Sergio Scariolo worked as the team’s acting head coach. He was joined by Jim Sann and Jamaal Magloire. From what I can recall, and by process of elimination — and because Nick Nurse is confirmed out for tomorrow — it looks and sounds like Adrian Griffin, Jama Mahlalela, and Jon Goodwillie are also still out.

We’ll update this post if need be after Scariolo and GM Bobby Webster address the media in a few minutes.

UPDATE:

From Webster, it sounds like right now the Raptors do not expect VanVleet, Anunoby, Siakam (as already reported), McCaw, and Flynn to be with the team when they take on the Celtics as scheduled for Thursday night in Boston.

Webster also mentioned that there might be an additional member of the Raptors’ coaching staff now going through the league’s health and safety protocols. No names have been mentioned in this regard, so we’ll have to see who’s actually on the Raptors’ bench tomorrow.