Irving Still Isn't Cleared For Contact, But It Isn't Because of Thoracic Bursitis

The 6x All-Star still has no timetable for his return.

As if Kyrie Irving hasn’t had enough drama following him in his first year in Brooklyn, now reports are saying that this whole business about him having thoracic bursitis is totally false.

“What you’re telling me—whatever that report said is not true,” said Head Coach Kenny Atkinson. “We’re still in the same place the last time I talked. Like I said, the thing is we haven’t gotten to the contact with him. We’re on-court workout situation but the contact just hasn’t been cleared yet. I think that’s the next hurdle. I wish I could tell you when that is. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Even though Irving has missed 19 games, and a lot has been said since he’s been on the sidelines, one thing has been consistent about his injury. He’s dealing with what the team is calling a “shoulder impingement,” which is when your rotator cuff is being compressed against the top of your shoulder blade.

Despite the most recent report, that’s still all that we know about the injury and its severity. This week’s report claiming Irving is going to be out even longer with “thoracic bursitis” is something that’s totally different. According to Mayo Clinic, Thoracic bursitis is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis happens when the sacs become inflamed. This compared to impingement is pretty much apples and oranges and it’s unlikely that the Brooklyn Nets medical staff, being one of best in the league, would get the NBA Champion’s injury that wrong.

All things considered, it’s probably best to take all other conflicting reports with a grain of salt, that being because any other update that hasn’t included the word “impingement” (since the team announced it) has been false and proven to be just a bunch of noise.

Remember when the team announced that Irving would miss the Nets’ road trip that included the Knicks, Cavaliers and Celtics and he was under fire for it even amongst former players that thought he was faking it? Yeah that’s just one story that came out since Irving has been in street clothes on the sideline with this injury, just to give you a taste of what it’s been like since he last suited up.

Fortunately for the Nets they’re holding their own weight without him, having gone 12-7, but they sure would like their 6x All-Star back on the court and healthy.

Irving still has yet to be cleared for contact drills.