With less than two weeks until the start of the regular season, the uncertainty around Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving continues to swirl.
The Nets listed Irving, 29, as ineligible to play in Friday’s preseason game against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. New York City’s COVID-19 protocols allow only NBA players with at least one vaccination shot to practice. He could play Monday when the Nets play an exhibition game at the Philadelphia 76ers.
Irving, who practiced with the Nets at their training camp in San Diego last week, has missed three days of preseason practices with his team in Brooklyn. Unable to attend media day last week at Barclays Center, Irving joined via videoconference from his home and asked for privacy.
The Nets, according to sources, remain unclear on Irving’s intentions for getting vaccinated, and the organization has made no decision, as of Thursday, on whether it will accommodate him as a part-time player this season.
There are numerous unknowns. Most notably: How, if at all, the Nets, who are projected by ESPN’s latest win-loss predictions to win 58 games, and their seven-time All-Star guard can work together prior to the start of Brooklyn’s season opener versus the Bucks on Oct. 19 in Milwaukee (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Here’s everything we know and don’t know about Irving, the Nets and how the next few weeks (or months) might play out:
Would the Nets consider moving practices outside of New York City to get their star point guard on the floor?
The team examined that option, sources said, but ultimately decided to reject it for several reasons, including the need to have access to all of their facilities. Nets coach Steve Nash made their position on the matter known when he told reporters the team doesn’t plan to make any accommodations to move its practices out of New…
Source : espn
