Former NBA Star Eddie Johnson on Kyrie Irving’s Nets Return: “I Just Don’t Think It’s Going To Work”

The Brooklyn Nets have been a team that has continued to bag wins despite all the complications that they have had to face so far during the 2021-22 NBA campaign. And the biggest issue being, the pandemic that has taken a toll on the world and keeping the Nets’ best players off the lineup and into the league’s health and safety protocols. However, Kyrie Irving is an exception, who chose to not get vaccinated when the season began.

This led to the team taking a collective decision to sideline him, instead of letting him play the games he legally could. However, now, both Brooklyn and Kyrie have called it a truce as the organization welcomes him back to the lineup. But there is a catch. The 29-year-old point guard still hasn’t agreed to get vaccinated.

This will only allow him to play road games and can only practice with the team at home. This means, unfortunately, he will still be banned from playing in New York as per the state’s mandate. Yes, it does sound quite messy. This is why former NBA player, Eddie Johnson thinks that this plan will not come to fruition.

In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, he said, “I want to see how this works out because this is a unique situation. He is not injured. When Bill Walton was doing it, he had a bad foot. He just couldn’t play every game. But a guy that can score 35 on a row, play out of his mind, and then he got a game at home the next night and he can’t play. See, that’s when it starts to create some issues. I just don’t think it’s going to work.”

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This decision was made in light of all the sudden absences that the Nets have had to face in the lineup. James Harden, Bruce Brown, Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge, De’Andre Bembry, James Johnson, and Jevon Carter have all entered the NBA’s health and safety protocol.

This has seriously put too much pressure on the shoulders of those NBA stars that have been carrying the Nets to glory so far, especially Kevin Durant. The Brooklyn Nets are the team with the best record in the East and are on a four-game winning streak. But things change very quickly when it comes to standings in the conferences.

In order to slip up and put all that they’ve worked for until now this season, the decision to bring Kyrie back as a part-time player was made. Although, they won’t make it so easy for Irving. He will have to test negative for the virus for five straight days until he can return. And even when he does, he will have to undergo daily testing.

Sadly, the circumstances force such harsh measures. In fact, this team isn’t the only one that has players missing out on the action because of the sudden surge in cases. Nonetheless, Eddie may think this won’t work, but if the Brooklyn Nets have to keep up with their performances, and Kyrie wants to play, they will have to operate. But how well? That’s something we will have to wait to find out.

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