Kyrie Irving is finally returning to the NBA as a part-time player for games outside of New York and Toronto, the Brooklyn Nets announced on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.
The All-Star guard has refused to satisfy New York City mandates and become vaccinated to play in home games or road games at Madison Square Garden, but will be eligible to play in select road games once he is able to pass a series of COVID-19 tests and get back into shape.
“We arrived at this decision with the full support of our players and after careful consideration of our current circumstances, including players missing games due to injuries and health and safety protocols. We believe that the addition of Kyrie will not only make us a better team but allow us to more optimally balance the physical demand on the entire roster. We look forward to Kyrie’s return to the lineup, as well as getting our entire roster back together on the court,” Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.
The Brooklyn Nets previously announced on Oct. 12, that Irving wouldn’t play or practice with the team until he is eligible to become a full participant under local COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Irving’s return isn’t expected immediately as he has to test negative on five successive days before he can rejoin his squad. As an unvaccinated player, he’ll also have to be tested daily once he steps back onto the court.
According to the mandate set by NYC, Irving is allowed to practice at home, and the Nets agreed with Irving on a plan that would allow him to start preparing to hit the hardwood. Several injured players and the team not wanting to overload Kevin Durant helped lead to the Nets changing their minds and bringing back the superstar.
