Kyrie Irving To Rejoin Brooklyn Nets For Road Games

The Brooklyn Nets confirmed that Kyrie Irving would be rejoining the team.

“We believe that the addition of Kyrie will not only make us a better team but allow us to more optimally balance the physical demand on the entire roster,” the team said, according to TMZ.” We look forward to Kyrie’s return to the lineup, as well as getting our entire roster back together on the court.”

Leading up to the announcement, there had been signs that Irving would rejoin the team. Sources told The Athletic and Stadium that Irving had already begun the process to make his return to the Nets and begun COVID-19 testing. 

Just in: All-NBA star Kyrie Irving has started process to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Irving is ramping up, has begun team COVID-19 testing, and his season debut date is still to be determined.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2021

Irving himself teased the idea, posting a video of himself putting on basketball sneakers.

Now, he will be back with the team and available for road games. Since he’s still not vaccinated, he is ineligible to play in New York or Toronto.

This season, the Nets chose not to play Irving over his unwillingness to get vaccinated. In New York City, where the Nets are based, he would’ve had to have been fully vaccinated to play. 

Irving refuted reports that he was anti-vax, saying he was actually standing up for local workers who were being bullied into getting the shot to keep their jobs.