Kyrie Irving will no longer practice or play for the Nets until he is eligible to be a full participant, the team announced on Tuesday, ending a weeklong cloud that hung over the organization.
Irving’s vaccination status is not publicly known, but GM Sean Marks touched on it when addressing reporters on the matter.
“If he was vaccinated, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” Marks said. “I think that’s probably pretty clear.”
Irving is ineligible for all 41 Nets home games and the two road games they play at Madison Square Garden. Brooklyn had been undecided about whether to allow Irving to be a part-time player this season. Had the Nets allowed Irving to play part-time, one league source compared the situation to “dropping a boulder into a small pond every few weeks” with how it would impact the team.
Steve Nash said after Monday night’s game in Philadelphia that there was nothing to imminently decide on. Hours later, Marks announced his team was sidelining Irving.
“Given the evolving nature of the situation and after thorough deliberation, we have decided Kyrie Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant,” Marks said in a statement. “Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose. Currently, the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability.
“It is imperative that we continue to build chemistry as a team and remain true to our long-established values of togetherness and sacrifice.
