Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving hasn't suited up yet this season due to local New York City vaccination mandates. The rules ban players from appearing in home games, although Nets brass huddled together months ago and decided they don't want any part-time players. So, in essence, they decided that a seven-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA player could kick rocks … until he gets vaccinated. But could they be changing their minds?

With the latest reports, the Nets find themselves at a crossroads weighing themes like organizational principles, player safety, locker room distraction, the value of an NBA superstar, the feelings of their available superstars, and championships.

The Nets sit at 19-8, first place in the East and fourth overall behind three Western Conference powerhouses in the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Utah Jazz. But Monday brought some potentially interesting news on the Kyrie Irving front.

Via The Athletic's Shams Charania:

There is renewed optimism around Irving returning to the Nets this season, sources with knowledge of the situation tell The Athletic.

It remains unclear whether Irving’s potential return this season would come via vaccination to meet New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement or by Brooklyn opening the door for him to play road games and practice at home, but sources have indicated a renewed belief that Irving could play this season after all. Nets players and coaches want to have Irving rejoin the team as soon as possible.

With reports of a possible return swirling but no update on what vital change might take place or from which side, player or team, we're left to wonder what is actually going on here.

The first possibility is that Irving is seriously considering getting the vaccine. But there is no plant-based vaccine on the immediate horizon, and the recent speculation from Charania in prior weeks was that Irving hadn't changed his mind on the jab. Still, we cannot rule this one out as it would represent the most simple solution.

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The next possibility would include some pending change to local ordinance, but that seems unlikely right now. There are no signs that New York City will be changing its mandates anytime soon.

So, that highlights the possibility that the Nets as an organization might shift their stance to welcome Irving back for practices and road games. This feels like the most likely scenario now.

Charania included some tidbits that Kevin Durant and Irving have been in close communication recently:

In recent weeks, Irving and Kevin Durant, his co-star and close friend, have had increased communication about his fit on the team, breaking down the games, and about life in general, sources added. There appears to be an increased level of enthusiasm between the two superstars.

Fans and analysts are now making the leap that KD, an MVP candidate fresh off a 51-point explosion in Detroit and perhaps enjoying more leverage than ever, might try to persuade Nets owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai to let his friend appear in road games:

If you're like me and have a 7-foot pie chart in your room and every day make minor adjusts to your forecast, it's safe to increase your “Irving returns this year” slice of the pie. And if you had a section for how this might happen, you can increase your “Kevin Durant goes to Joe and Clara Wu Tsai to vouch for Irving that he won't be a distraction, while reminding them how badly he and James Harden want to win a title” slice.

At one point, the team likely reasoned that Irving's presence as a part-time player just didn't make sense. They may have felt it was a distraction to have him around, and they may have even hoped banning him would prompt him to take the jab. Perhaps they've found a way to reduce the possible distraction and abandoned hope of persuading him.

The Nets have been dominant against lesser opponents and tend to struggle against elite opponents. They may have reasoned that they do in fact need Irving in order to win the championship, and having him available for away games (as long as they're not at Madison Square Garden or in Toronto) might be both better than nothing and just good enough to accomplish their goals.

It's trade season, so they can still explore some blockbuster swaps. But if nothing fair comes along (few if any teams would offer an All-Star for all of the unknowns that accompany Irving and his expiring contract), they may want to think long and hard about letting him play away from Barclays Center.

At this point, the team's ownership may need to start weighing some tough questions. Do they stick with organizational principles and not allow a player who might be at an elevated risk for disease around the other players? Do they risk locker room distraction? Do they risk losing a championship, while potentially squandering a year of Durant's prime? Can they find a way to backtrack on their no part-time players rule while saving face? Does KD have the organizational pull to change their minds?

All we have learned is that there is newfound optimism. The reason for that is still unclear.