The Rockets and League office are attempting to verify that it is indeed recent video, which would confirm that he violated protocols and but also jeopardize his status for tonight's season opener against the Thunder.

Now, in response, Hearted posted this to his Instagram story.

One thing after another, he writes, I went to show love to my home girl at her event, not a strip club, because she is becoming a boss and putting her people in positions of success.

And now it's a problem.

Every day it's something different.

No matter how many times people try to drag my name under, James writes, he says, the rial always ends on top.

Of course, I would personally note that the issue the MBA is investigating isn't whether he was at a strip club.

Specifically, it's being at an indoor gathering with a crowd of people without a mask, all of which is against NBA rules.

And on top of all of that, we have breaking news on the jump here to give us The latest on the Rockets are senior MBA insider Adrian Word Janowski.

Would I want to get to Harden in a second?

But you have a developing story here.

Some of the other Houston Rockets who may not be available for tonight's season opener against the Thunder.

What is going on?

Yeah, Rachel, the Rockets are conducting contact tracing on ah, few of their players, including a couple of their key key players, beginning with John Wall, the Marcus Cousins and K J.

Martin.

There.

Rookie forward, I was told, tested positive, But they're going toe.

They're testing him further for the coronavirus.

What I was told was they were off away from the facility, uh, in the last day or two getting a haircut, and they were at an apartment of one of the players.

And so it was cousins and wall on K.

J.

Martin among them.

There might have been another player there, but right now, because of that positive test for Martin and the team itself announced just prior to us reporting that that he had tested positive that hey was not with the team, he was self isolating, like Ben McLemore, who We also reported tested positive a few days ago for the coronavirus.

So, uh, also should note are sourcing tells us that both Wall and cousins have both tested negative today for the coronavirus.

And so you know that contact tracing based on what else they find out with KJ Martin in terms of whether that positive test stands up, you know, that could keep other teammates out of the lineup.

The league essentially has some freedom with contact tracing with how long they would hold a player out.

We saw with Mike Connolly in Utah based on proximity and to somebody who had it, you know, they kept him away for almost a week.

Wow.

Well, as if that's not enough to deal with, let's get back to James Harden the allegations of him partying at a club.

What would happen if the Rockets and the league conclude their investigation and find that Harden is indeed as it certainly appears?

And and really by his own admission in that instagram post that he was in violation of the league's covert protocol?

Yeah, he could.

He could face a suspension, Rachel and, uh, you know, these protocols air all new to the season, and we haven't seen them.

The league have toe punish anyone yet or toe execute a T least outside of the bubble.

We saw what happened with Daniel House with Rockets last year inside the bubble, but this is different.

And you know, this has been a recurring theme, with James Harden leading into training camp, being in Atlanta, being in Las Vegas.

And so you know now he's self isolated and tested, uh, negative, believe six consecutive days before he was allowed and cleared into training camp.

But based on what their findings are, and I know the Rockets are working with the league with hard with on Harden to see essentially, if he's going to be, have to be away from the team again and again if there's going to be a punishment.

So you know, there's a lot of uncertainty.

And by the way, the Rockets open up tonight against Oklahoma City, and I'm told the Thunder have not really had any contact with anybody with the league or the Rockets.

Wow, about what this means for them in their game tonight.

It really is remarkable to see the dominoes.

And while you and our colleague Tim MacMahon have done such great reporting on this all morning, I've been glued to both of your Twitter feeds.

One of the things that came out was confirming, in fact, that sources told ESPN that James Harden indeed had coronavirus earlier this year.

It is what made him late for the bubble.

Of course, that was the assumption, but it had not been publicly confirmed.

And it is my understanding.

Is it yours that the league is telling players even if they've had it?

We don't know enough about how immunity from this disease works that you can't just assume because you've had it.

You can run around without a mask or publicly gather.

Correct that.

That's exactly right, Rachel.

The rules don't change for you.

If you have previously tested positive and now just have the antibodies or you've yet to have the coronavirus.

The rules in place are the same.

And so they wouldn't be different for James Harden or any other player or individual in the league whose you know who's going to be tested and be around his peers.

Really, just every day I wake up in something new is happening in Houston, I know it's 10 times for you guys.

Thank you so much for your insight.

Watch Way will be here all show.

So if anything else, more breaks, You know where to find us.

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