Caris LeVert is close to returning to the Brooklyn Nets lineup after playing 5-on-5 with his teammates on Tuesday and Thursday.

LeVert underwent surgery to repair ligaments in his thumb on November 14th. 

Kenny Atkinson said that LeVert is "getting closer" to returning, with a "couple more" contact sessions before he gets cleared.

LeVert is averaging 16.8 points in 9 games on the season.

Kyrie Irving has not yet been integrated back into the practices of the Brooklyn Nets despite the prediction two weeks ago from Kenny Atkinson that he would be healed.

Irving was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement on Nov. 12.

Atkinson dismissed the idea that Irving could need surgery.

"I don't think we are there yet," Atkinson said. "We're still in the rehab process."

Kyrie Irving is still not cleared for contact practices, according to Kenny Atkinson.

Atkinson said two weeks ago that Irving would be cleared for contact by this time.

Irving will miss his 18th straight game as the Nets play the Hawks on Saturday night.

David Nwaba suffered a torn right Achilles during the Brooklyn Nets' 118-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, league sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The injury occurred in the 4th quarter.

Nwaba was averaging 5.3 points in 13.3 minutes in his first season with the Nets.

Kyrie Irving will miss the Brooklyn Nets' Sunday game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a shoulder impingement.

It will be the 15th straight game Irving has missed with the injury.

The Brooklyn Nets have waived Iman Shumpert.

The Nets have a full roster of guarantee contracts and were forced to waive Shumpert.

Kyrie Irving is still not cleared for contact as he recovers from injury, according to Kenny Atkinson.

Irving has missed the last 13 games with a right shoulder impingement, and has not played since November 12th.

The Nets are 9-4 without Irving in the lineup following a 113-108 loss to the Hornets on Wednesday night.

Kevin Durant strongly considered the New York Knicks, according to sources closes to the situation. Durant, however, never pushed the Knicks the way Kyrie Irving pushed the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving sold the Nets as a destination due to their front office and the chance to make history with a franchise on the rise.

"The Knicks players, they're good, young players, but they still need more experience to match where I was in my career," Durant told former teammate Serge Ibaka in October. "It was nothing major against the Knicks. I just think Brooklyn is further along in the process of being a contender."

While Scott Perry and Steve Mills advocated for Durant, James Dolan was leery of signing a player rehabilitating an Achilles injury due to his past experiences with players with injury histories. 

Rich Kleiman informed Dolan of Durant's plans directly right as free agency opened. 

Kleiman and Durant's father, Wayne Pratt, are self-professed Knicks fans, which contributed to the gossip around the NBA that Durant would join the Knicks in a fashion that was similar to the buzz around him going to the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Carmelo Anthony and his representatives were in contact with management of the New York Knicks during the 2019 offseason about rejoining the franchise on a minimum contract.

Anthony's camp attempted to convince the Knicks that signing him would improve their chances of signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The Knicks were intrigued about the possibility of signing Anthony, but would only do so once they received commitments from Durant and Irving.

“He wanted to stay in New York,” said a person close to Anthony. “That’s what he was hoping for, but it didn’t work out.”

Durant and Irving lobbied the Nets to sign Anthony but the front office had several concerns.

Kenny Atkinson said that Kyrie Irving was increasing his individual workload with a goal of returning to practice within the next couple weeks.

“I think the plan is to continue to ramp up his individual on-court work, and I think from there it’s starting to integrate him in the next week or two into team practices. Like I always say, that could be a planned practice or us making one up if the game schedule so dictates," said Atkinson.

Irving has been out since November 14th.

Atkinson added that the team needed to get Irving back into a contact setting.

“I think after the individual workout it’s a contact piece. But as far as the no-contact piece, that’s shooting, running, ballhandling, pretty much everything. It’s that contact piece. And obviously team practice. That simulates the most game-like contact situation.”