New York City mayor Eric Adams says changing the city’s vaccination rules so that Brooklyn Nets’ guard Kyrie Irving could play in home games at Barclays Center would send the wrong message to city 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,” Adams told CNBC, transcribed by ESPN.
“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.”
Irving was initially sidelined from all games – both on the road and at home – but has since joined the Nets on road games.
In 15 games, Irving has averaged 25.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 46%/37%/92% shooting splits.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Sunday that “New York City would lift the Key2NYC vaccine mandate on March 7, assuming numbers stay on track, (per Mayor Eric Adams),” but also that “the private sector mandate would still restrict Kyrie Irving from playing in home games, although he could enter Barclays Center as a spectator.”
“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,” Adams said.
“We want to find a way to get Kyrie on the court, but this is a bigger issue. 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.’”
The soap opera that is the Brooklyn Nets season seems to have no end in sight.
