Kyrie Irving remains ineligible to play for the Brooklyn Nets, and there may be only one realistic pathway for the seven-time All-Star to play this season.
Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday that Irving has no plans to get the COVID-19 vaccine. New York City has also given no indication that it will drop its vaccine mandate, meaning Irving still cannot play for the Nets. According to Charania, the only way Irving is going to play this season is if Brooklyn trades him.
“He’s not anywhere closer to getting the vaccine. So if he’s not gonna get the vaccine, at the end of the day, he’s not gonna play basketball unless he gets traded,” Charania said. “Unless the Nets come out suddenly and say, ‘Fine, Kyrie, we’re gonna let you play road games and practice at home, we’re changing our stance. We’re gonna now let you come back’ Or, unless Kyrie Irving goes and decides to get the shot, there’s not really an end in sight here.”
A trade involving Irving is not out of the question. Charania noted that the Nets remain open to moving him in the right deal. You can hear more about the situation below:
"Kyrie Irving is nowhere closer to getting the vaccine & he's not gonna play basketball unless he gets traded" ~@ShamsCharania#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/HkNO09TIKz
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 2, 2021
New York City recently elected a new mayor. There was initially some talk about the mayor-elect lifting the vaccine mandate, but it does not sound like that is going to happen.
The Nets are 15-6 and have been the best team in the Eastern Conference even without Irving. There were some rumors that Irving might consider retirement, but that doesn’t look like an option at this point. Him sitting out the entire 2021-22 season does.
Photo: Feb 1, 2020; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
