Kyrie Irving is standing firm in his decision not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and it has now cost him the home games.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed that Irving wouldn’t play at their home stadium because he has not received the COVID-19 vaccination. Nash says that while the team has come to terms with playing without Irving, they are just unsure of how long the arrangement will last.
Due to New York City’s vaccination mandate, Irving cannot play at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. San Francisco and Los Angeles have similar rules. Therefore, he will likely not be playing in games against the Lakers or the Golden State Warriors if he refuses to get the shot.
Irving has previously requested privacy surrounding his vaccination status, which his team was initially supportive of. Last week, ESPN reported while the Nets were beginning to lose faith that Irving would take the shot, despite the team educating him on its benefits. They also noted that the Nets were starting to lose patience with him and the possibility that he would only be playing for half the season.
His fellow teammates James Harden and Kevin Durant have expressed that they want him part of the team for the entire season and hope to resolve the issue soon.
If Irving remains unvaccinated, he could lose out on nearly $380,000 per home game.
