For the second straight year, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will not address reporters for NBA media day as reported by Zach Lowe of ESPN.
“Kyrie Irving is not expected to attend Nets media day today due to New York City health and safety protocols,” Lowe tweeted on September 27. But the Nets fully expect Irving to accompany the team to training camp in San Diego, sources tell [Brian Windhorst] and I.”
Kyrie’s status for the upcoming season is still in the air. But his aunt Tyki Irving tells Rolling Stone she is hopeful that the NBA will find a way for him to remain unvaccinated and still fulfill his duties this season. “There are so many other players outside of him who are opting out, I would like to think they would make a way,” she said. “It could be like every third game. So, it still gives you a full season of being interactive and being on the court, but with the limitations that they’re, of course, oppressing upon you. There can be some sort of formula where the NBA and the players can come to some sort of agreement.”
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Kevin Durant Gets Real on Kyrie Irving’s Vaccination Status
Brooklyn will head to San Diego for training camp on Tuesday, for the start of what they hope is a championship season. Nets’ star Kevin Durant understands that Irving will be a major factor in whether or not they win the title this season. While Irving could miss up to 45 games for the Nets if he elects to remain unvaccinated, that is his personal decision that KD fully stands behind.
“I expect it to not be an issue,” Durant told reporters during Nets media day per SNY. “That’s his personal decision what he does is not on us to speculate what may happen. But we trust in Kyrie, and I expect for us to have our whole team.”
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Stephen A: KD Is the Reason Nets Won’t Trade Kyrie to Sixers
Kyrie is without a doubt one of the best point guards in the NBA. Last season he became just the ninth player in NBA history to average at least 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free-throw line for an entire season.
While Irving would be a hard player to replace it would not be impossible. According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the Nets would be willing to move him for Sixer’s star Ben Simmons, but Nets brass believes them doing that would upset KD.
“Kyrie could have ended up in Philly. Sean Marks could not do that because KD wasn’t having it. KD wasn’t having it KD was like ‘Kyrie Irving ain’t going no damn place. Let me tell you something right now, Philadelphia might have said no but I assure you if it were not for Kevin Durant the Brooklyn Nets would be interested in making that deal,” Smith said during First Take on September 22.
The Nets, at full strength, are the favorites to win this year’s NBA title. However the picture has changed drastically now that Irving could miss more than half of the regular season. Not having full access to one of their most important players could change everything for the Nets.
READ NEXT: ‘Plan of Satan’: Inside Kyrie Irving’s Decision to Not Get Vaccinated
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