The Brooklyn Nets seemingly have caved.
As COVID-19 once again has ravished NBA rosters across the league, reports from The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday said that the team is preparing for Kyrie Irving’s return to the Nets.
“Kyrie Irving will play in road games and practice at home with the Brooklyn Nets. He is expected to practice with the team in the coming days,” Charania first reported on Twitter.
“With the unfolding circumstances of Brooklyn’s season — including injuries, Covid losses and an inordinate minutes load on their superstar players — the Nets are bringing back All-Star guard Kyrie Irving as a part-time player for games outside of New York,” Wojnarowski added shortly after.
Irving has been deemed ineligible to play home games in New York due to his vaccination status, though he technically could have been practicing with the team in Brooklyn and playing in road games from the get-go. However, the Nets front office made it clear that he was only welcome as a vaccinated, full-time player and Irving hasn’t played to this point.
Well, reports indicate the Nets had their hands tied.
Wojnarowki reported that Nets owner Joe Tsai, general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash, along with key players which you could imagine include Kevin Durant and James Harden, were fully supportive.
Despite the NBA as a collective being almost entirely vaccinated, more than 20 players were added to health and safety protocols on Wednesday and Thursday alone, and two Chicago Bulls games were postponed.
It led to the league modifying its COVID-19 protocols, and the Nets changing their mind.
A date for Irving’s debut is unknown, but he must pass a series of tests before he can start working out with the team. He’s expected to practice with the Nets in the coming days.
