NEW YORK — Wishes do come true on Christmas after all.
Kyrie Irving will rejoin the Nets as a part-time player this season, according to ESPN. Irving, who cannot play in home games at Barclays Center due to New York City’s vaccine mandate, has begun the conditioning ramp-up process and will make his season debut in a road game to be determined.
The news of his return comes as the NBA reels in the wake of the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Irving, who has opted not to get vaccinated, will return as a second wave of positive COVID-19 cases hits the NBA entering the new year, in particular a Nets team currently missing seven players in the league’s health and safety protocols.
Yet judging from Irving’s social media feeds, the All-Star guard appears gleeful to have found a way back to the floor. As reports of renewed optimism for Irving’s return emerged, the star scorer posted a video of himself putting on sneakers.
Irving is one of the most gifted scorers in NBA history. He averaged 27 points per game last season and joined Kevin Durant and Steve Nash in the illustrious 50-40-90 Club (at least 50% shooting from the field, 40% shooting from three and 90% shooting from the foul line for an entire season). He supported LeBron James in the 2016 NBA Finals, where he hit the stepback three over Stephen Curry that delivered the Cleveland Cavaliers their first championship in franchise history.
The Nets have a roster built to support three stars, and Irving’s absence has stunted the team’s growth. They are currently the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but still have no clue what they look like at full strength.
Irving’s return is risky: 52 players have entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols as player testing has increased in recent weeks. As an unvaccinated player, Irving could be at risk of a worse case of COVID if he contracts it while traveling with the Nets.
Without risk, there’s no reward, and Irving’s presence on the floor is a reward for a Nets team that’s worked hard to keep the ship afloat without him. All the Nets and their fans want for Christmas is Irving on the floor. Even if it’s not at Barclays Center, it’s on pace to be a wish come true.
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