The NBA has fined the Nets after the team let unvaccinated Kyrie Irving into the locker room.
On top of that, Kevin Durant appears to have been chastened after he called out mayor Eric Adams in support of his friend and teammate.
On Monday, the league fined the franchise $50,000 for allowing Irving into the team’s locker room during a halftime game against the Knicks at the Barclays Center.
Shortly after, Durant released a statement clarifying his critique of Adams, the New York Post reported.
It’s somewhat puzzling that Irving is permitted to attend home games now that the city’s indoor vaccine mandate was dropped but he still can’t play. However, he attended his first home game of the season.
The NBA slapped the Nets with a fine for “violating local New York City law and league health and safety protocols” after they let Irving come from his courtside seat into the locker room.
Since the mandate requires employers to see that their workforce ensures everyone is vaccinated, the NBA fined the Nets and not the player.
Following Durant’s stellar performance–he scored 53 points–the former MVP called out the mayor for not repealing the mandate that currently bars Irving from playing but somehow permits him to enter the arena and sit courtside all while allowing unvaccinated foes to play.
“Yeah, I don’t get it,” Durant said after the win. “But at this point now, it feels like somebody’s trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority. But everybody out here is looking for attention, and that’s what I feel the mayor wants right now is some attention. He’ll figure it out soon. He better.”
“But it just didn’t make any sense. It’s unvaxxed people in this building already. We’ve got a guy who can come into the building, I guess are they fearing our safety? I don’t get it. We’re all confused. Everybody in the world is confused at this point. Earlier on in the season, people didn’t understand what’s going on, but now it just looks stupid. So hopefully, Eric, you’ve gotta figure this out.”
On Monday, Durant added to his statement, saying “The last two years have been a difficult and painful time for New Yorkers, as well as a very confusing time with the changing landscape of the rules and mandates. I do appreciate the task the Mayor has in front of him with all the city has been through,” said Durant, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. “My frustration with the situation doesn’t change the fact that I will always be committed to helping the communities and cities I live in and play in.”
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