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As Kyrie Irving sits out of games due to being unvaccinated, Nets owner Joseph Tsai doesn’t sound confident the all-star guard will return to the team anytime soon.
In a sit-down interview with ESPN, Tsai said he wasn’t sure when Irving will play again.
"I don’t know," Tsai said. "Either he has to be vaccinated in order to come back if the New York mandate is still in place. And don’t ask me when they may or may not change the New York mandate. Again, if you ask the people that are making decisions at the city level, they are going to say we are going to rely on science, rely on what the health department tells us [in order to proceed]."
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Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 13, 2021 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Irving, 29, has been outspoken on refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, most notably in an Instagram live video earlier this month. In the video, Irving said it was bigger than basketball, a decision he’s made based on research he’s conducted.
The Nets, meanwhile, are refusing to let Irving play until he’s fully committed to doing so. That would mean either Irving gets vaccinated, or New York eases up on its mandate which states that only the vaccinated can attend large, indoor gatherings.
FILE - Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving handles the ball during an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, in this Thursday, May 6, 2021, file photo. Unable to attend the Brooklyn Nets' media day, Kyrie Irving asked for privacy Monday when pressed about his vaccination status and availability for home games. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
"Last time [I] talked to him was when we made the decision that he was not going to be playing until something changes," Tsai said. "We haven’t communicated since then. Obviously, Kyrie has his own belief so I respect that.
"But we have to make a team decision. This is not a decision about him. This is a decision about where we go as a team. And it is just not tenable for us to have a team with a player that comes in and out, no home games, only away games. What do you do in practice then?"
Without Irving on the floor, the Nets have looked vulnerable. A 3-3 start has been underwhelming and star forward Kevin Durant even admitted that the team misses Irving.
Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty Owner, Joe Tsai attends the game between the New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury on August 25, 2021 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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"I know what you want me to say," said Durant, after the Nets’ 106-93 loss to the Heat on Wednesday. "Yeah, we do miss Kyrie. We do. He’s a part of our team."
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