Star point guard Kyrie Irving was listed as ineligible to play by Brooklyn Nets in their home exhibition tie against Milwaukee Bucks, amid strong indication that he has not met New York’s vaccination requirement.

Irving has not been with the Nets for any of their practices in New York, where professional athletes are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to practice or play.

The Nets are prevented by law from revealing whether he has been vaccinated, but listed him as “ineligible to play” in the injury report for their preseason game Friday.

ALSO READ | Philadelphia 76ers to block 25% of Ben Simmons salary due on Friday: Reports

There is nothing related to the NBA that would cause a player to have that designation.

Unless Irving is vaccinated, he would have to miss the Nets’ 41 home games and their two road games against the New York Knicks. The NBA has said he wouldn’t be paid for any of those games.

He practised with the Nets last week when they held training camp in San Diego, but hasn’t been with the team since it returned home.

ALSO READ | Disappointing: 76ers’ Joel Embiid responds to Ben Simmons’ comments

General manager Sean Marks had said before training camp that he didn’t expect New York’s vaccine mandate would keep any players from being able to participate.

But with Kyrie Irving missing another practice, the team no longer has that confidence.

“I don’t know. I can’t answer that. As it stands now, no,” coach Steve Nash said Wednesday. “So we’ll see what happens. But I don’t really want to speculate on something that is just currently up in the air.”

New York has a mandate requiring coronavirus vaccinations for athletes who play in or practice in the city. Irving hasn’t said whether he is or intends to be vaccinated, and even one of his close friends is uncomfortable discussing it with him.

“This is his decision. That’s his choice. We all respect it,” All-Star Kevin Durant said, according to Associated Press reports. “I mean, this is way bigger than hoops, so I don’t even feel comfortable talking to him about stuff like this. But I’m just here to support and here to come in here and do my job as one of the leaders of this team and when things get figured out, I got to trust and hope that it’ll get figured out.”

ALSO READ | NBA: LaMarcus Aldridge comes out of retirement, signs for Brooklyn Nets

The Nets don’t have a home game in the regular season until October 24, so there is time for Irving if he does want to get vaccinated. If not, he wouldn’t be paid for any games he misses.

Durant and Irving were U.S. Olympic teammates in 2016 who planned a future together, agreeing to sign with the Nets on the same day in 2019. Durant made clear he wants Irving on the team but will give him time and space to figure out if he wants that, too.

“I’m not really trying to get too involved in it because it’s far bigger than myself and each one of us individually,” Durant said. “This is one man’s personal decision on his well-being.”

With inputs from the Associated Press