Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving FAQ

With less than two weeks to go to the start of the regular season, uncertainty around Brooklyn Nets goalie Kyrie Irving continues to swirl.

The Nets have classified Irving, 29, as ineligible for Friday’s preseason game against defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. New York City’s COVID-19 protocols only allow NBA players with at least one vaccine to train. He could play on Monday when the Nets play an exhibition game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Irving, who trained with the Nets at their training camp in San Diego last week, missed three days of preseason training with his team in Brooklyn. Unable to attend media day last week at Barclays Center, Irving joined by video conference from his home and requested confidentiality.

The Nets, sources say, remain unclear about Irving’s intentions to get the shot, and the organization made no decision on Thursday as to whether it will host him as a part-time player this season. .

There are many unknowns. Most notably: how, if at all, the Nets, who are projected by ESPN’s latest win-lose predictions to win 58 games, and their seven-time All-Star goaltender can work together before the start of the season. Brooklyn opener against the Bucks on Oct. 19 in Milwaukee (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).

Here’s everything we know and don’t know about Irving, the Nets, and how the next few weeks (or months) might play out:

Would the Nets consider moving practices outside of New York to put their star point guard on the pitch?

The team considered this option, sources said, but ultimately decided to reject it for several reasons, including the need to have access to all of their facilities. Nets coach Steve Nash made his position known on the matter when he told reporters the team were not planning to make any accommodations to move their practices out of New York.

“No, this is our home, this is where we are going to train and we have almost a whole group,” Nash said on Tuesday. “So that’s positive, and we’re just working to improve each day and focus on the things that we can control.”

How are Nets players and coaches dealing with Irving’s absence?

Irving’s teammates remain hopeful and offer their support, without positioning themselves on the guard’s vaccination position. Kevin Durant said on Wednesday that he still sees Irving joining the Nets soon.

“Maybe I’m just naive, but that’s exactly how I feel.… [Kyrie] is dealing with something personal right now. And while he takes care of that, we’re going to focus on ourselves here in the gym and keep working. When they are ready to find out, he will find out. “

James Harden said Thursday: “We will continue to tread lightly. Every day we focus on things that we can control, things that we can improve.… Whatever happens, happens. I want it to be. in the team, of course. … That’s one of the reasons I came here. “

But for now, the Nets are advancing without him. In addition to declining the ability to move practices out of New York City, Nash said the team is not communicating with Irving about their practices while he is away.

“It’s not something we discussed,” Nash said.

Why wouldn’t the Nets want him to just play on the road?

It’s an unprecedented situation, not only because Irving can’t play at home, but also because he can’t even train. This means the Nets could potentially travel long stretches without being able to work with him.

For example, if Irving is still unvaccinated and the team does not adjust training venues, he will be with the team for one day (the preseason game Monday in Philadelphia) between October 2 and his first. game on October 19 in Milwaukee.

In the second week of the regular season, the Nets begin a six-game homestand in which they will be in New York for 13 straight days.

Playing Irving immediately after such long non-contact team absences is untenable. And that’s only next month. These awkward starts and stops will be repeated throughout the season. Not to mention that if current protocols remain in place, Irving will not be allowed to visit the team’s premises for treatment or to work with recovery specialists.

Could Irving be traded?

Despite his All-NBA talent, teams might be reluctant to trade for Irving for several reasons.

One wonders if Irving would immediately report to a new team if moved to a city where there was no local vaccine warrant. He has shown his willingness to leave without permission, regardless of the consequences. Last season, Irving took an unapproved two-week sabbatical and missed five games for personal reasons, paying nearly $ 900,000 in fines for breaking league protocols.

“There was a lot of family and personal stuff going on,” Irving said. “So, I just want to leave it at that.”

Plus, Irving has two more years, $ 71 million on his contract, but has a player option next summer that would see him become an unrestricted free agent. Teams will be reluctant to give up important players and draft picks for what could be a short-term arrangement.

Durant, for his part, went on to say that he hopes to have Irving on the team.

What is the impact on Irving’s salary if he doesn’t play at home?

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have agreed to a pay cut of 1 / 91.6 of a player’s salary for each game a player misses under the “reasonable cause” portion of the NBA collective agreement, a modified formula from what each team player agreed to for last season’s 72-game campaign.

According to sources, the NBA expects Irving’s refusal to be vaccinated, and therefore his inability to render services to his team, to fall under the “reasonable cause” clause and oblige him to give up about $ 380,000 per game.

If he misses every game in Brooklyn this season (including preseason games), as well as the two regular season games against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, it would cost him north of $ 17 million.

But the players’ association, sources said, have stressed that they don’t think this is necessarily the case, executive director Michele Roberts publicly told the New York Daily News earlier this week.

“They reported that we have agreed that if a player who was not able to play due to his non-vaccination status, he could be docked [pay]Roberts said. “We didn’t agree. The league’s position is that they can. We’ll see.”

There should be some clarity on the situation as early as Friday, given that the Bucks-Nets game will mark the first time Irving will be forced to miss a game due to the tenure.

Meanwhile, Irving is eligible to sign a four-year, $ 187 million extension with Brooklyn.

After Durant signed his extension this summer, Nets general manager Sean Marks expressed optimism that a deal could be reached with Irving, but those talks are on ice, sources said.

Are other NBA teams or players affected by local vaccine mandates?

Three cities – New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles – have COVID-19 mandates that could affect players from the New York Knicks, Nets, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.

In New York City, to enter any gym – including Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center – individuals need proof of at least one COVID-19 injection; in San Francisco, individuals must be fully immunized.

While the New York and San Francisco orders apply to players on these teams, the situation in Los Angeles is more murky. The Los Angeles ordinance, which was both passed by Los Angeles City Council and signed by Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday, will come into effect on November 29. From that day on, anyone entering, among other facilities, indoor gymnasiums will need to be fully vaccinated. The Staples Center said the Los Angeles ordinance did not apply to it or Microsoft Theater, “which are already subject to an existing LACDPH ordinance dealing with this subject.”

The Lakers and Clippers said last month that their teams were or were in the process of being fully vaccinated.

Of note, Warriors swingman Andrew Wiggins has received a COVID-19 vaccine and will be eligible to play in home games this season, coach Steve Kerr said after practice last Sunday. Wiggins asked the NBA for a religious exemption, but it was denied by the league.

It’s also important to note that “non-resident artists” are exempt from all three orders, meaning that – for now – visiting players are not affected by any of them.

Who will take Irving’s place?

The Nets are as well equipped as any team to handle the absence of a star of Irving’s stature, with Harden and Durant on hand to execute the offense. Patty Mills, the team’s taxpayer mid-level exception signing, had to come off the bench. Even without Irving, Brooklyn could have the best offense in the NBA this season.

“I mean, he’s a special player so it’s going to be hard to replicate what he brings,” Durant said of Irving. “But professional sport is about the next man mentality, so we look forward to the guys stepping up and filling this role the best they can.”

“He’s a special player. We want him to be part of this squad. But a lot of things are out of our control, and we’ll let him figure that out for himself. That doesn’t mean I will say that I will. don’t. I don’t want him on the team. He’s a big part of what we do, but the guys have to step up in his absence and be who they are and move on. “

When the Nets play in Toronto on November 7, how will Canada’s vaccination rules affect Irving?

In a note from the NBA Players Association shared with players and obtained by ESPN on Wednesday, mention is made of Canada’s Quarantine Act, which allows unvaccinated players to leave their hotels only for official activities. of the team. If these players violate protocols while in Canada, they could be fined up to $ 750,000 and even jail time.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN contributed to this report.