Kyrie Irving’s Eligibility Is Still In Question
Kyrie Irving did not make his season-debut with the Nets until January 5 because of New York City’s vaccine requirement. Since Irving is unvaccinated against COVID-19, he was deemed ineligible to play home games in Barclays Center at the beginning of the year, even though he has come out and said that both the NBA and NBPA told him that he would be exempt from said mandates.
With Kyrie Irving not being able to play home games, GM Sean Marks and the Nets decided to hold Irving out indefinitely and not play him in road games either, stating that they did not intend on using him as a “part-time player.”
Early on, the Nets looked like a really solid championship team with Harden and Durant leading them to a 21-8 record, but then health protocols hit this team hard, followed by Kevin Durant suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee and continued tension boiling over in the locker room with Kyrie’s situation.
Since Jan. 5, Kyrie Irving has since returned to the court to play in road games for the Nets, but he still has not played in Barclays Center this season and is still ineligible to play in New York City this year.
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As of March 7, the Key2NYC vaccine requirements for indoor public spaces has been lifted in New York City, technically allowing for Kyrie Irving to be in Barclays Center for a Nets game, but he is still ineligible to play because of the city’s vaccine requirements for private businesses.
The Nets remain optimistic that Irving will be allowed to play in Barclays Center before the start of the playoffs, but this private business mandate still remains in effect and New York City mayor Eric Adams has said that he has no intent on changing this rule anytime soon.
Not only is Kyrie Irving ineligible to play in home games right now, but he may wind up missing a play-in game for the Nets as well, assuming they finish in the play-in tournament region of the standings this season.
Should the Nets draw the Toronto Raptors in the play-in tournament, Irving will be ineligible to play in Toronto as well because of Canada’s vaccine mandate to travel across the border.
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Kyrie Irving’s vaccine status has long been a problem for the Brooklyn Nets and now, it does not seem like this is going to be changing anytime soon.
With his eligibility still in question this year, Kyrie Irving and his situation continue to cast doubt on the Nets’ chances of winning a title.
