Nets coach Steve Nash said that Kevin Durant has “a good chance” to rejoin the team for Thursday’s game against the Sixers once he clears health and safety protocols. Kyrie Irving, however, may need some more time.
Durant and Irving were placed in the protocols on Dec. 18, joining a handful of Nets players that also included James Harden, who returned for the Christmas Day win over the Lakers.
When asked whether Durant will return team when the Nets return to Brooklyn after Monday’s game against the Clippers, Nash appeared optimistic.
“I think there’s a good chance Kevin will be,” Nash told ESPN on Monday. “With Kyrie, I’m not so sure, but it’s coming. He’s already been [in protocols since Dec. 18]. ... He’s got to be getting close.”
Irving entered into the protocols less than a day after the Nets announced they would bring the All-Star guard back as a part-time player “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate."
On Monday, Nash said that Irving would first need to clear protocols and work back to fitness, which he said could take up to two weeks since Irving has not practiced with the team all season.
“It's hard to say, but I would say probably somewhere between a week and two weeks,” Nash said. “He’s obviously been isolating so that kind of puts another layer to the ramp-up. It’s not like he’s been working out so probably I’d imagine it’s going to be closer to two weeks once he comes out of protocols.
“We’ll just have to see how it goes, though, because we have to evaluate him from a physical and performance standpoint and a basketball standpoint as well.”
