NBA encourages vaccine, but forbids teams from skipping line

The NBA delivered a warning to teams on Thursday that franchises are forbidden from pursuing and administering newly released coronavirus vaccines on a teamwide basis ahead of public health guidelines for prioritization, according to a memo obtained by ESPN.

Source: Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN

ANALYSIS: The NBA has officially endorsed the new Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and will encourage players to get vaccinated. The medical experts that have been advising the NBA have deemed the new vaccines 'safe and effective' and the NBA will now work to vaccinate its players and staffs.

Adam Silver has made it very clear though that the NBA will not be jumping the line when it comes to getting the vaccine. The league says its players and staffs will receive the vaccine "consistent with the timing and prioritization set by the applicable public health guidelines." The NBA will allow exceptions for some of its personnel who are at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Besides the situation in Houston, the NBA has gotten off to a good start to the season in terms of COVID-19, with the last batch of testing only returning two positive tests out of 558 players.