Report: Kyrie still not vaccinated, could miss home games

Kyrie Irving's status for home games at Barclays Center could be in doubt entering this season because the Brooklyn Nets guard hasn't yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, sources tell Fox Sports' Yaron Weitzman.

It's unclear whether Irving will attempt to pursue a religious exemption to avoid getting vaccinated, which is a path Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is reportedly taking to not comply with the vaccine mandate in San Francisco. Like Irving, Wiggins may also be forced to sit out home games if he remains unvaccinated.

Similar to San Francisco, there's also a vaccine mandate in New York. That means any Nets or Knicks players who haven't received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine won't be able to participate in team activities once training camps open on Sept. 28. And if any Nets or Knicks players remain unvaccinated once the regular season begins, they'll be forced to sit out practices and games in their home markets.

Nets GM Sean Marks previously downplayed concerns about both New York's vaccine mandate and the league's policies impacting Brooklyn's ability to form a team. However, he also acknowledged a couple of the club's players remain unvaccinated.

Irving's absence from home games could begin on Oct. 8 when the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks visit the Nets for a preseason tilt. Brooklyn then hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 14 to close out exhibition play before holding its home opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 24.