Nets reportedly concerned Kyrie Irving ‘won’t be back anytime soon’

The Kyrie Irving saga rages on for the Brooklyn Nets, and the latest news surrounding the mercurial point guard suggests the drama is not letting up anytime soon.

It was confirmed earlier in the week that Irving will miss Tuesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets due to the frequently cited “personal reasons,” making it four games the superstar has been away from the team.

Now, it sounds like Irving’s absence could stretch much longer than the Nets obviously would prefer.

A source with knowledge of the situation has told Ian Begley and Scott Thompson of SNY that the Nets fear Irving “won’t be back anytime soon.”

Further complicating matters is how Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Tuesday that the NBA is currently investigating evidence of a maskless Irving allegedly attending a family celebration. Footage of said party surfaced on social media Monday night.

If the NBA determines the evidence is recent, Irving will likely be fined, and his return would be further delayed due to the league’s COVID-19 protocols.

Irving without question is one of the most enigmatic players in the NBA, so there’s always skepticism about what’s inspiring his actions whenever such an incident occurs.

However, the prevailing belief is that Irving’s continued absence is related to how he was left “upset” by the unrest last Wednesday in Washington, D.C., that devolved into a riotous mob storming, vandalizing and looting the U.S. Capitol Building.

Despite Irving’s off-court issues continuing to compromise the Nets’ prospects for success early on this season, Kevin Durant insisted after Sunday’s loss to the Thunder that Nets players support Irving “100 percent” despite the distracting disruption.

The Nets coaching staff and front office, however, might have a wholly different take on the ongoing drama.