Kenny Atkinson reaffirms Kyrie Irving’s standing with team amid rumors

Kyrie Irving has been out for quite some time. Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery) has as well, but it looks like he will return soon.

But LeVert isn’t exactly the polarizing figure Irving is. Even though they’ve been out a similar amount of time, the ambiguous nature of Irving’s injury (right shoulder impingement) and the fact everyone has an opinion about the point guard is leading speculation.

The latest came from FS1 and Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher during a spot on WFAN’s “Maggie Gray and Bart Scott”:

I hate to buy into salacious rumors, but I’ve heard it from enough different places — and some of which I give credibility — that there’s a lot more going on with Kyrie than just physical issues, that he’s struggling. I think we remember the Instagram post after the Boston reception — or rather reaction. And so there’s some things that he has to work out, I don’t know, psychologically, mentally, however you want to determine it.

Bucher also added:

But my understanding is that there’s more going on here than just physical issues. And where that stands and what he’s doing to get that taken care of, I don’t know. But there are some troubling signs that I’ve been told that there’s more than just physical ailments that he’s dealing with.

Although Kenny Atkinson said he hadn’t heard Bucher’s comments when he spoke with reporters in Houston on Saturday, he still made it a point to have Irving’s back, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

I didn’t hear about the report and really no reaction to that. In my mind Kyrie’s been great with the Nets, he’s been great with me, great with his teammates. I think he’s going through a tough time with his shoulder, and he’s doing everything he can do to get back to playing. I know he’s desperate to get back.

Atkinson continued:

Like I’ve said all along, the shoulder’s a tricky one. We all want to be confident and sure that the shoulder’s right and we can have him long-term. … We’re a big-picture organization, that’s important we’ve relayed that message to him, and the medical team understands that. That being said, we want him back ASAP. But no comment on the report.