Kyrie Irving’s inability to play home games for the Nets because of New York City’s vaccine mandate has been a hot-button topic all season, but now that the restrictions have been lessened, Kevin Durant is ready for the rule to change.
In the second quarter of the Nets’ 110-107 win over the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, Irving arrived at Barclays Center to sit behind his team’s bench to give them support. The new mandate allows Irving to be in the building, but not play with his teammates.
“It’s ridiculous. I don’t understand at all….I don’t get it,” Durant told reporters after the game. “It just feels like, at this point now, someone is trying to make a statement or point to flex their authority.
Everyone out here looking for attention and I feel like that’s what the Mayor wants right now. He’ll figure it out soon, he better. It just doesn’t make sense. There’s unvaxed people in the building already. Are they fearing our safety? I don’t get it. Hopefully… Eric [Adams] you got to figure this out.”
Although vaccine mandates to enter buildings have dropped in the city, Irving’s status as a worker in NYC means he’s not exempt from “working” thanks to the private sector mandate the city has.
Irving couldn’t be on the bench with his teammates, but did enter the locker room at halftime and seeing him at the game but not playing made the reality of the situation comical to Durant and his teammates.
“This is unreal, I’ve never seen nothing like this before,” Durant said. “We can say that about a lot of situations over the last two, three years especially with COVID being involved. Hopefully it gets figured out. Eric, you gotta figure something out. It’s looking crazy, especially on national TV and he’s on the sideline and can’t play.”
If the mandate that restricts Irving from playing isn’t lifted, Kyrie will only be able to play in four of the Nets’ 14 remaining games, which doesn’t include any possible home playoff games.
Durant scored 53 points to down the Knicks Sunday, and when he was asked if he’s ready to shoulder the load without Irving, the former MVP put it simply.
“Let me die out there, I told you.”
The Nets’ next game is Tuesday at the Orlando Magic, a game Kyrie can play in.
