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New York City is expected to roll back its private sector vaccination mandate in the coming days, paving the way for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving to play home games. According to Shams Charania, he’ll be eligible to play Sunday against the Hornets.
Kyrie Irving is eligible to make his home debut at Barclays Center on Sunday vs. the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. New NYC exemption for in-town athletes and performers will be effective immediately beginning Thursday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 23, 2022
Irving was previously only eligible to play in road games as an unvaccinated player and the Nets originally said they would only have him on the team if he was a full-time participant. COVID-19 waves forced the team to bring Irving back into the fold and now he’s set to be able to play in a full-time capacity. Irving has not commented much on his decision to remain unvaccinated and ultimately, he’s going to be able to play without having to change his stance.
The Nets are +475 to win the NBA title per DraftKings Sportsbook, which is second behind the Phoenix Suns. Even though Brooklyn no longer has James Harden, Irving has been on fire in the games he’s played. He’s got a career-high 60-point game under his belt, and is averaging 30.3 points over the last 12 games.