Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash didn't have a conclusive answer regarding Kyrie Irving's impending return to action. However, he continued to express his optimism about having his star point guard back on the lineup in the near future.

“Hopefully, we’re close. I can’t really give you a firm update on that. We have to assess that as we go,” Nash said via New York Post. “We do want to make sure he ramps accordingly so that he’s not susceptible to unnecessary injury and protect him the best we can. But hopefully, it will be a short period of time. That is to be determined, though.”

Irving last took the floor against the Utah Jazz back on Jan. 5 when he led the team in scoring with 29 points to go with six rebounds and five assists, with Kevin Durant sitting out the contest. With Irving's contributions, the Nets eventually secured a 130-96 lopsided victory against the Jazz.

The 28-year-old Irving then missed the team's next six games due to his continued absence. With the return of Durant along with the arrival of James Harden, the Nets managed to hold their ground and account for a 4-2 record in the stretch without their starting point guard.

Irving allegedly violated safety protocols at a recent birthday party with his father and sister. He also sat out the team's tilt against the Denver Nuggets to join a Zoom call for the campaign of Manhattan district attorney candidate Tahanie Aboushi.

His appearance at a public gathering eventually earned him a $50,000 fine by the league. He will also be forfeiting his salary of over $800,000 for the games that he missed due to undisclosed reasons, per Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Irving's looming return will make the Nets a much more dangerous team, especially with the recent addition of James Harden. With an 8-6 record, Steve Nash can only hope that his other players can continue to stand their ground while they wait for Kyrie Irving to rejoin the team in the coming days.