Just prior to the Sacramento Kings’ second consecutive contest hosting the Houston Rockets, James Ham of NBC Sports reported Tyrese Haliburton would be out after entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

According to a league source, Tyrese Halliburton has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Haliburton is the 12th Sacramento King to enter protocols.

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 16, 2022

Haliburton is the 12th player on the Kings’ roster to feel the ramifications of the Covid-19 mandates and one of the only players to avoid the bout of protocols back in December when Sacramento was thinned down to the league minimum eight available players.

Since January, only two other players have been in heath and safety protocols: Richaun Holmes and Damian Jones. Holmes has not played since Dec. 31, though clearing the regulations for producing negative tests, has to be re-conditioned to return to game shape.

This is a huge loss for Sacramento, as Haliburton has been one of the strongest pillars of the roster in the last six weeks, and certainly the most valuable player during the absence of De’Aaron Fox in December. Haliburton is coming into his own on both the dishes as well as beyond the arc, as one of the leaders in both categories league-wide since last month.

Following today’s contest, Sacramento will only play just two contests this week: hosting Detroit and then hitting the road for Milwaukee on an East Coast swing. Haliburton is set to get his high school jersey retired at Oshkosh North High School in Oshkosh, Wisconsin during this road trip, so timing for him both on and off the court could not be worse.

In order for Haliburton to return, he will need return two negative Covid-19 tests within 24 hours to meet league regulations. Here’s hoping Hali is on the mend and able to return shortly.