Kyrie Irving is "getting close" to making NBA season debut
Brooklyn, New York - Kyrie Irving is getting closer to making his season debut for the Nets.
"Yeah I think he's on his way. It's getting close," the team's head coach Steve Nash said of Irving Saturday. "We just have to make sure we don't make a hasty decision, but it's coming."
Irving, who is ineligible to play in home games due to New York's vaccine mandate, cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols and rejoined the Nets for home practice on Wednesday. It was the first time he played with pro basketball players since the Nets ruled him ineligible to practice at home during the offseason.
Nash said on Saturday that Irving "looks great" considering how long he's been away from the game.
"For him to come out of that and to look as good as he has playing with the stay-ready group, getting his rhythm back has been exciting," Nash said.
The Nets haven't announced a set date just yet, but for fans waiting on Irving's return, it just might be safe to pencil-in his season debut in Indiana against the Pacers on January 5.
Nash said Irving's run with the stay-ready group of players at the end of the Nets' rotation pales in comparison to what the superstar guard will see from opposing defenses, and officials, when he makes his debut this season.
Irving also needs to improve his conditioning, according to the Nets head coach, since that will be tested as he runs up and down the court in his first NBA game of the season.
"So we have to give him time to get his feet under him," he continued, "but as far as how he looks, he looks very, very gifted."
Kevin Durant says Irving is "a master"
Irving's excellence should be expected, despite having been away from the game for three-plus months. He is one of the most gifted scorers and ball-handlers in NBA history.
Nets star forward Kevin Durant said the team will not have any issues re-adjusting to Irving in the rotation because Irving "is a master" at what he does.
"Have you watched him play? He's a master. He can score 60%, 70% of his shots if you don't guard him," Durant said.
"He's a high-IQ player. It's just a matter of getting his legs up under him, his wind up under him and for us, we're going to run plays for him, we're going to look for him. We play team basketball, but he can adapt and do anything out there. We're not worried about him."
Yet, on a team with two other future Hall of Famers, Irving's addition legitimizes their status as championship favorites. The Nets are just 1-6 against other legitimate championship contenders this season — their lone win came against a Lakers team that's looked more like pretenders amid their mounting losses.
The Nets have lost to the Bucks, Heat, Warriors, Suns, and Bulls (twice) this season, each in games they played without Irving, who was previously ineligible to play on the road. They have dominated the lower- and middle-tier opponents on their schedule but have struggled against the cream of the crop.
The Nets are now projecting to continue its rise to the top with a full slate of stars on the road. And Irving is well on his way to making his season debut in the coming week.
Cover photo: imago/Icon SMI