Kevin Durant is putting pressure on the mayor of New York City over the bizarre vaccination policy currently in place.
Unvaccinated Nets guard Kyrie Irving is still not allowed to play home games at the Barclays Center due to the city’s private sector vaccine mandate. Despite this, city rules now permit him to attend games and sit on the bench with his teammates. Irving was even permitted to go into the locker room at halftime. The ridiculousness of that was not lost on anyone, especially Durant.
Following Sunday’s game, Durant accused New York mayor Eric Adams of looking for attention and urged Adams to to “figure this out,” citing the confusing and inconsistent nature of the city’s policies.
Kevin Durant on Kyrie Irving not being able to play at home:
"We're all confused. Pretty much everybody in the world is confused at this point. Early on in the season, people didn't understand what was going on but now, it just looks stupid. Eric, you gotta figure this out." pic.twitter.com/t8aBEBEZEA
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) March 13, 2022
“It’s ridiculous. I don’t understand it at all,” Durant said. “I don’t get it. It just feels like at this point now, somebody’s trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority. Everybody out here is looking for attention, and that’s what I feel like the mayor wants right now, some attention. He’ll figure it out soon. He better.
“We’re all confused. Pretty much everybody in the world is confused at this point. Early on in the season, people didn’t understand what was going on, but now it just looks stupid. Eric, you gotta figure this out.”
Durant is correct. Whatever the original purpose of New York’s mandates were, they make no sense now. If Irving is allowed to sit on the bench and locker room in close quarters with his teammates, there is not any justification for not letting him play. Nobody can argue this is for the benefit of opponents, either, as unvaccinated road players are allowed to play at Barclays Center.
Adams has previously said that Irving will not receive a personal exemption from the policy that would allow him to play. At this point, he shouldn’t need one if the policy is as flawed as it is in the first place.
Photo: Oct 11, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) in action against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
