NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving will not travel with the Brooklyn Nets on their upcoming three-game road trip while he deals with a family matter, the team announced Monday morning.
Irving will miss Brooklyn’s games against the Trail Blazers, Jazz and Pistons.
The Nets are already short-handed. Kevin Durant has been sidelined since Feb. 13 with a hamstring strain but is getting closer to returning, coach Steve Nash said. They will also be without Landry Shamet, who has emerged as a key player off the bench. Shamet sprained his right ankle against the Wizards on Sunday and will not travel with the team on Monday, although his MRI did not show significant damage, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Irving has been in and out of the Nets’ lineup this season, having played in 31 of their 43 games. He missed two weeks in January for a personal absence. During that time away from the team, Irving broke the league’s COVID-19 protocols, which further delayed his return to the court. Irving was fined for not following the league’s coronavirus safety guidelines. Upon his return, Irving told reporters that he “just needed a pause.”
Since then, Irving has missed four games for injury maintenance.
Irving is averaging 28.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season.
