The Brooklyn Nets are going to look a lot more different this NBA season than anticipated during the offseason. That is because point guard Kyrie Irving is going to be away from the team for the foreseeable future.
Irving has yet to receive his COVID-19 vaccine and it doesn’t sound like he is going to any time soon. As a result, he will remain ineligible to play in games at Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden because of New York City mandates that have been put into place.
Irving would have been allowed to practice, as the Nets’ practice facility was deemed a private building. He would have also been allowed to play in away games, but the Nets decided that until he was able to be a full-time participant, he would be barred from participating with the team.
A few prominent people within the organization have provided reactions to Irving being away from the team, such as head coach Steve Nash and All-Star teammate, James Harden.
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Both would love to have him back on the court but know there is nothing they can do about it. All they can do is focus on the things they can control on the court and work with the guys who are there ready to play.
While the Nets’ championship hopes change drastically with Irving sidelined, his future with the team is also coming into question. Shams Charania of the subscription-based The Athletic shared some updates about Irving and the Nets.
While it was a difficult decision to make, the Nets made the right one. It would have been a major distraction having Irving playing only away games. The team chemistry would have been ruined as well having to constantly change the lineup based on when he would be available to play.
Irving has also cost himself a lot of money. He is forfeiting nearly $15 million in salary for the home games that he will be missing, but Brooklyn also pulled a contract extension off the table.
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The extension, according to Charania while appearing on “The Glue Guys’ podcast, would have been worth $186 million. Kevin Durant is already locked into an extension and talks are ongoing with James Harden for his.
At this point, it sounds like the Brooklyn Nets are about ready to wash their hands of Kyrie Irving, regardless of his relationship with Kevin Durant. He could become a free agent next offseason as he has a player option for the 2022-23 season. We could very well have seen Irving play his last game in a Nets uniform.
