If you were looking to see Kyrie Irving back to work with the Brooklyn Nets, you had to look fast because it’s already over.
Less than 24 hours after rejoining the team part-time, the Nets announced that Irving – the league’s most outspoken anti-vax mandate proponent – had entered the NBA’s coronavirus protocols.
According to Yahoo:
The 29-year-old point guard has not played a single NBA game this season after being benched by the Nets over his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Now, Irving must return negative tests for five consecutive days before he is eligible to return to game action. Once eligible to return, however, Irving will still be unable to play in the Nets’ home games due to New York City’s COVID-19 guidelines, as he remains unvaccinated.
However, Irving is one of nine Nets players to recently test positive and the others are all vaccinated, including star forward Kevin Durant.
DALLAS, TX – DECEMBER 7: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets goes up for a slam dunk against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at American Airlines Center on December 7, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Nets had planned to use Irving for road games only after the team’s seventh player entered the protocol. That decision contradicted the team’s earlier stance when they said that an unvaccinated player would not be able to participate in team activities on a “part-time basis.”
“Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose,” Nets GM Sean Marks said in October of Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated.
“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.”
(Photo by RAMI AL SAYED/AFP via Getty Images)
No matter now, the Nets will have to wait until their next road game after Irving registers five consecutive negative tests before they can get their star guard back on the floor.
As for the immediate future, the Nets face the Magic on Saturday.
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