Brisbane could be in the dark on Aron Baynes's availability just hours before their next NBL game, if he's not already ruled out with illness.
The NBL on Wednesday completed a review into on and off-court incidents involving the ex-Boomers centre, Cairns rival Lat Mayen and Taipans coach Adam Forde during Saturday's clash in Brisbane.
The players had to be separated after Baynes took offence to a stray Mayen elbow to his neck in the second quarter of the Taipans' Saturday victory.
The NBL also investigated an altercation between Baynes and the coach during the halftime break.
Baynes has been referred directly to a tribunal, while Mayen can accept a fine with an early guilty plea after he was charged with striking.
Forde escaped sanction, while the Bullets were warned after advisor Stu Lash made public commentary on the incident during the investigation.
Baynes missed Wednesday's practice because his child was suffering from a gastroenteritis outbreak which kept teammate DJ Mitchell off the court last week.
Any appeal following Thursday night's hearing would take place on Friday, before that night's clash with Sydney.
The Bullets currently sit second with an identical 2-1 record to the back-to-back champion Kings.
"We're prepping that he'll be here but understand there's a chance he won't," coach Justin Schueller said earlier on Wednesday.
"We don't condone how Aron handled the moment, he doesn't himself in hindsight."
A furious Baynes was ejected as he continued to question the officials, the Bullets' loss costing them outright top spot on the ladder and a 3-0 start under the first-year coach.
"It's a lesson. No regrets, all lessons," Schueller said.
"We know we can handle that situation better, I'm sure the league and officials ... everyone will be better for it.
"How do we become a club that doesn't accept a loss like that? We let that game go away."
Baynes, a NBA championship winner with San Antonio and veteran of 522 games, is in his second NBL campaign after a freak dressing room fall during the 2021 Tokyo Games that left him in hospital unable to walk.
The 36-year-old had begun this season in dominant form, notching a 20-point, 20-rebound game in pre-season and then winning player-of-the-game honours in the season opener with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
"Frustrated describes it best," said Schueller, who added he didn't see the alleged incident with Forde.
"If I got punched in the neck (by a player) I wouldn't be too happy about it either.
"But there's a reaction and we all could have handled it in different ways."
