The Brooklyn Nets are officially moving forward without Kyrie Irving for the time being, but his act appears to have been wearing thin for a while now.
Nets writer Anthony Puccio reported on Tuesday that team owner Joe Tsai was unhappy during Irving’s hiatus last season. Puccio adds that trading for James Harden, in addition to assuring a superteam, provided insurance in the event that Irving would be unavailable for whatever reason.
Brooklyn made a big decision on Irving’s status this week, announcing that the seven-time All-Star will not play at all while he remains unvaccinated. Irving was already ineligible to participate in home games due to New York City public health ordinances. Now the team has decided that he will not appear in away games as a part-time player either.
If you recall last year, Irving’s midseason absence was a spectacle in and of itself. He left the team for “personal reasons” only to show up on politician Zoom calls while his team was playing, among other antics. The ongoing drama over Irving’s vaccination status seems to have been the last straw for Nets ownership.
Photo: Feb 1, 2020; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
