New York Mayor Eric Adams won’t make exception to let Kyrie Irving play for Nets at home
While New York City is planning to roll back COVID-19 vaccine requirements, Kyrie Irving still isn’t expected to return to play for the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
Even though New York Mayor Eric Adams wants to see Irving playing full time, he isn’t willing to make an exception for the unvaccinated Nets star. Doing so, Adams said Monday on CNBC, “would send the wrong message” to every other New York employee.
"Listen, I want Kyrie on the court. I would do anything to get that ring. So badly, I want it. But there's so much at stake here. And I spoke with the owner of the team. We want to find a way to get Kyrie on the court, but this is a bigger issue," Adams told CNBC. "I can't have my city closed down again. It would send the wrong message just to have an exception for one player when we're telling countless number of New York City employees, 'If you don't follow the rules, you won't be able to be employed.'"
New York rolling back vaccine requirements
Adams announced Sunday that New York City will start rolling back vaccine requirements for “indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues” starting March 7.
Adams’ move is similar to other officials across the country while coronavirus cases have declined. The country is averaging more than 65,000 new cases each day as of Monday afternoon, according to The New York Times, a 62% decrease over the past two weeks and the lowest figure since July.
Irving will be able to access the Barclays Center as a spectator, but he still won’t be able to play in games there. A “private sector mandate,” which isn’t covered by Adams’ announcement, is still in place.
Irving is unvaccinated, and isn’t allowed to play at the Barclays Center which requires everyone to be fully vaccinated, including athletes. Irving can play in most road arenas in the league, and started playing part time with the team in December.
He has played in 15 games this season and is averaging 25.1 points per game.
Though Irving would certainly help the Nets in their postseason push, it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to participate at home anytime soon. Adams, who said he doesn’t understand the rule keeping Irving from playing, isn’t willing to risk the health of his city to make that happen.
“It makes no sense, and I don’t know who thought about putting such a ridiculous rule in place, of [unvaccinated players on] away teams can come and play when [unvaccinated players on] our teams from New York [can’t], but these are the rules, and I have to — I have to follow the rules,” Adams said on CNBC. “If I don’t, I’m gonna open the door that’s sending a wrong message to everyday employees.
“Businesses have their vaccine mandates, city employees have their vaccine mandates. I have to follow the rules, and trust me, I want Kyrie on the court. We are here right now opening our city because of vaccine mandates. We can’t close down again. I can’t have my city close down again."
Nets can’t pay to break the law
Though some have wondered why the Nets don’t play Irving anyway and deal with any fine the league hands down for violating the mandate, the NBA has apparently shut that option down.
The NBA told teams in a memo before the season started that they cannot simply pay to break the law.
“Pursuant to the local orders set forth above, if a player is on an impacted team, unvaccinated, and does not have an approved bona fide medical or religious exemption (the determination of which will be made by the league office), he will not be allowed to enter their home arenas or practice facilities in these jurisdictions or participate in any games, practices, or other team activities conducted there,” the memo read, via the New York Daily News.
