Noah Vonleh waived after Covid diagnosis

The Bulls have removed their first training camp invitee from the roster, as Noah Vonleh was waived Monday.

And it was under some interesting circumstances, as it was simultaneously reported he tested positive for COVID-19.

Vonleh was a late scratch before Sunday’s preseason game, part of a handful of players who were unavailable in that game yet the Bulls wouldn’t disclose why. I find it pretty annoying that the team is starting this precedent (and no: it’s not a HIPAA violation any more than saying knee soreness), but since Vonleh just tested positive we can fill the information vacuum ourselves and assume all the others either also are positive or through contact tracing are quarantined for the time being. Garrett Temple had already disclosed his positive diagnosis last week.

It looks like this signing was, as we all should’ve expected, simply camp fodder and he had no real shot of making the team. Maybe there was a chance that he balled out in the preseason - he did play over Cristiano Felicio in the first preseason game - and won the job. But that went away as of today with NBA protocols meaning Vonleh wasn’t going to play in the remaining preseason games.

Vonleh had a non-guaranteed contract, and the Bulls have another in Zach Norvell who they need to punt before the start of the season, unless Reinsdorf-forbid they address one of the 15 fully guaranteed contracts on the roster.

For Vonleh’s part, he politely and appreciatively says the waiving was because of the diagnosis. That would seem to make sense with the timing, else why would he be waived today instead of his guarantee date of 12/22?