There has been a significant development in Kyrie Irving's status for the Brooklyn Nets with regards to his decision to remain unvaccinated. As it is, the All-Star point guard will now be allowed to re-join his team for practice.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, New York City has given Irving permission to practice with the Nets in their facility. However, the fact still remains that he will not be allowed to play in home games until he gets the COVID-19 vaccine:
City Hall official says Irving is cleared to practice at home, but still not able to play in games at Barclays Center until the All-NBA guard fulfills vaccine requirement. https://t.co/OFy974t6iM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 8, 2021
The Nets currently hold their practice sessions in the HSS Training Center, which as the above report states, has been deemed by the city as a private facility. As such, Irving will now be permitted to practice with the squad in the said training center.
While this is a huge step for Irving, he is still looking to miss half of the 2021-22 season if he stands pat on his decision not to get vaccinated. New York has a city-wide mandate that bans unvaccinated individuals from participating in large gatherings, which clearly includes the Nets' home games in the 19,000-capacity Barclays Center.
There are more than a few folks that are getting behind Irving's stance on this highly polarizing issue. At the end of the day, it's his body, so he should be the one making the decision. However, you also cannot disregard the fact that this decision could ultimately lead to the heavily-favored Nets losing their shot at an NBA title. Is it worth the price?
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