Kyrie Irving’s anti-vax stance just got real.
The Brooklyn Nets have decided not to let the guard play or practice with the Brooklyn Nets until he is eligible to become a full participant under local COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks released a statement on Tuesday.
New Rules
“Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose. Currently the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability. It is imperative that we continue to build chemistry as a team and remain true to our long-established values of togetherness and sacrifice,” said Marks.
“Our championship goals for the season have not changed, and to achieve these goals each member of our organization must pull in the same direction. We are excited for the start of the season and look forward to a successful campaign that will make the borough of Brooklyn proud.”
When the general manager of New York’s new resident super team says he is making his decisions for the sake of Kings County, you know it’s real.
The Principle
While addressing the media on Tuesday, Marks explained that the decision came down to himself and Nets owner Joe Tsai, while “everyone” was consulted.
In addition, Marks revealed that Irving would only forfeit his salary for home games based on New York City’s vaccine mandate.
Irving has been steadfast in not disclosing his vaccination status, but he is widely understood to be against the vaccine. The Nets cannot reveal whether Irving has received vaccination by law. However, the team’s statement is a clear indication he has not met New York’s vaccination requirement.
Irving is too valuable to the dynamic of Kevin Durant and James Harden.
Challenges Abound
However, New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate has presented the biggest challenge to Irving’s Nets career. NYC and San Francisco require a person to have proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot to enter indoor gyms.
To find out how the latest development in the Kyrie Irving vaccination saga affects the Nets championship hopes click here
