Basketball: Team USA's Zach LaVine enters COVID-19 protocols

July 19 (UPI) -- Team USA men's basketball guard Zach LaVine was placed into the COVID-19 health and safety protocols Monday and didn't travel with the rest of the squad on their flight to Tokyo for the Summer Games.

USA Basketball said in a statement that it hopes LaVine can join the team in Japan later this week.

"Zach LaVine has been placed under USA Basketball's health and safety protocols and will not travel with the team to Tokyo today," Team USA said. "We hope that Zach will be able to join the team in Tokyo later this week."

LaVine becomes the third Team USA player impacted by COVID-19 this week, as Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal was forced to leave the team because of the protocols and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant was quarantined for contact tracing over four days.

LaVine started in the Americans' past two exhibition games in place of Beal. The Chicago Bulls star averaged 10.3 points in Team USA's four exhibition contests in Las Vegas.

Team USA traveled to the Tokyo Olympics with just eight players after LaVine was held back. The U.S. also is waiting on Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Milwaukee Bucks stars Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, all of whom are currently competing in the NBA Finals.

Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich said Sunday the players could arrive in Japan just 24 hours before the first pool-play game against France on Sunday.