Kyrie Irving isn’t eligible to play in Brooklyn Nets home games this season due to the fact that he is unvaccinated against COVID-19.
The Nets initially decided that Irving wasn’t going to play in any games this season unless he was able to play on a full-time basis. However, the organization recently changed its mind and decided that it will allow Irving to play in road games wherever possible.
Shortly after that decision was made, Irving tested positive for COVID-19. One Nets executive thinks Irving’s positive test was “meant to be.”
“When Ky tested positive, it was meant to be,” a member of the Nets front office told Rolling Stone magazine. “But also part of me was glad that it shut up the anti-vaxxed hailing him.”
Assuming Irving does eventually take the floor for the Nets this season, Brooklyn will be getting back one of the league’s most talented guards.
In the 2020-21 season, the 29-year-old averaged 26.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He knocked down 50.6 percent of his shots from the field and 40.2 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
Irving already has one NBA title under his belt, and he’d surely love to get another. His role with the Nets this season is obviously going to be very unusual, but Brooklyn is hoping that the seven-time All-Star can make a positive impact for the squad.
It’ll be very interesting to see how the season unfolds for Irving and the Nets. Of course, if he were to get vaccinated, he’d be able to return to his team on a full-time basis, but it doesn’t seem like that’s in the cards.
