New York City mayor Eric Adams said on Feb. 28 that lifting the private sector vaccine mandate that restricts unvaccinated individuals like Kyrie Irving from playing in city arenas.
But the Nets and the NBA reportedly still have a "confidence" that things will change by the end of the season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
"There has been optimism around the Nets, the league office, and the Players Association, that they're going to eventually get there with Kyrie Irving and the mandate in New York," Wojnarowski said. "How soon that happens still remains a question, but certainly you've seen a progression in the Mayor's office of alleviating restriction, but still the performer restriction that keeps Kyrie out hasn't changed."
The City lifted its Key2NYC vaccine restrictions on Monday, allowing unvaccinated individuals to participate in indoor dining, fitness centers, and as spectators in indoor arenas like the Barclays Center, but Irving is still unable to play, despite visiting players being allowed to. Adams admitted that the rule makes no sense, but said on CNBC last month that lifting the private sector mandate would "send the wrong message."
"This has become a very complicated issue with the City with how they want to handle this," Wojnarowski said. "But I think around the Nets, there's still a confidence, maybe even more than an optimism, that they're going to get Kyrie Irving on a full-time basis at some point."
That would need to be soon for Irving and the Nets, who are trying to fight their way out of a play-in spot and keep their title aspirations alive. Irving showed just how valuable he is to Brooklyn on Tuesday night, when he dropped 50 points in a win over the Hornets. But as things stand now, he would miss a chunk of any playoff series because of his vaccination status.
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