“Some days he believes that work is beneath him” – Stephen A. Smith calls Kyrie Irving unreliable, says he can only be trusted on court

Kyrie Irving's return to the Brooklyn Nets on a part-time basis has been met with mixed reactions, with several pundits and former NBA players believing Brooklyn could have survived without him. Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith has been clear on where he stands with Irving and has once again come after the All-Star guard, calling him unreliable.

Despite Irving being limited to road games, fans still expect the most from him and believe he will play a significant role in Brooklyn's quest for a championship. He has delivered so far, registering 30 points Wednesday at the Washington Wizards to help secure a narrow 119-118 victory.

On ESPN's "First Take," Smith was asked if the Nets could count on a part-time Irving following his dominating performance, and said this:

"No, they cannot. You can count on Kyrie Irving on the court to be his spectacular self. As I've stated on several occasions, I'd reiterate this again. Kyrie Irving is a superstar. One of the most gifted guards we have ever seen in the history of basketball. I believe he is worth in today's NBA economy, he is worth $50 million a year, easy.

"He is that spectacular, and I think he is box office and you should walk through the turnstiles to see him.

"I would never give him a long-term deal again in his career because you cannot trust him to show up to work. You know when you can depend on Kyrie Irving? When you look at the loading dock area you see the bus pull up and you see him get off of it. It's suspense whether he's gonna be on the bus. You just don't know."

"The brother is spectacular He's a superstar. He is not reliable. You can't trust him to show up to work, because some days he believes that work is beneath him. That's just the fact, and he has said so."

Smith has said he is not happy with the organization's decision to bring Irving back as a part-time player. The analyst has constantly attacked "Uncle Drew" for his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine but cannot deny his abilities on the court.

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Kyrie Irving has to be reliable for the Nets, especially with Kevin Durant out

Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball as Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards defends.

There was speculation the Nets could pay a small fine to New York City to allow Irving to play in home games. However, that concept would be in violation of NBA rules that specify local mandates must be followed.

If the Nets could have done so, they would have grabbed that deal, especially when the team is missing key players due to injury. Kevin Durant (sprained MCL) and Joe Harris will both be unavailable for an extended period. That's why the Nets need their superstars, Irving and James Harden, to deliver as often as possible.

Limited to only games not in New York City or Toronto, Irving will need to make sure all road games are locks. The Nets (28-16) are third in a tight Eastern Conference race – half a game out of first place – and need to keep pace.

Irving has averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 50% in five games.