Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will not play
or practice with the team as his decision to not vaccinate goes against New
York City’s COVID-19 protocols, the franchise has announced.

“He has a choice to make, and he made his
choice,” ESPN quoted Nets general manager Sean Marks as saying in a virtual press
conference. “Again, my job here is to make what we deem as the best decision
and best choices for the organization moving ahead as a whole.”

Tuesday’s announcement came as a big blow
to the Nets, touted as potential NBA champions this season, given the team will
be without one of their mainstays for as long as Irving sticks to his decision.
Before the announcement, Irving was slated to miss the Nets’ home fixtures and play
the games on the road.

The Nets will now have to weigh the
possibility of being without Irving, a seven-time All-Star who averaged 25.9
points and assists per game in the 2020-21 season. The Nets begin their campaign
next Tuesday against champions Milwaukee Bucks.

How will
the Nets line up without Irving?

The answer can be found in the playoff loss
to the Bucks last season, when in games 5 and 7 the Nets started with paired
Blake Griffin, Bruce Brown and Joe Harris with their other stars Kevin Durant
and James Harden. 

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This
line up, used in games five and seven after Irving was lost to injury, offers good
balance and consists of the five Nets players who played the most games in the
2020-21 season. Griffin can stretch the floor from the centre position and
create space for Brown to play closer to the basket – where he’s more effective – a report in ESPN noted.

Brown’s inclusion is also key as his
defensive play can stay tight with any opponent’s wide players, taking that
responsibility off Harden or Durant’s shoulders.

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Meanwhile, the line up does not include
Patty Mills, the Nets’ marquee signing in free agency in the offseason. The
Australian’s size and shooting ability makes him an ideal replacement for
Irving, but if Durant and Harden both start, the Nets might not need more
scoring prowess.

Instead Mills might be the mainstay in a
second-string team that might feature the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul
Millsap.