Kevin Durant responds to Kyrie Irving's vaccination rumors

The Brooklyn Nets have found their groove again with Kevin Durant on the lineup. But, as we’ve seen in the NBA countless times, having just one great player isn’t enough to lead a team to a championship.

That’s why the team desperately needs Kyrie Irving to be cleared to play full-time. But that can only happen if he decides to get the COVID-19 vaccine or if NYC lifts the vaccine mandate for the private sector.

Irving rathered sit out the whole season than getting the jab, and that stance hasn’t changed the slightest to this day. That’s why Durant sees no point in further discussing the matter, as the season is already coming to an end.

NBA News: Kevin Durant Knows Kyrie Irving Won’t Change His Mind

“I mean, what is it, April almost?” Durant said, per ESPN. “It’s pretty obvious that he’s not going to take the shot. So like I said, just focus on who you are and what you bring to the team every day and once that situation gets figured out, then it will. It’s out of my control, it’s out of everybody else’s control. So you can’t force anybody to do anything. So just try to just focus on me.”

“We love Kyrie as a human being,” Durant added. “I don’t think we were ever upset at him as much as people on the outside were. We get that it may affect the outcome of some basketball games, but that’s not the only reason why we love Kyrie as a person because what he can bring to the court. I think overall him as a human being, we respect who he is, we respect the game on top of that. He made the decision for himself, so you just got to respect it and move forward. We wasn’t coming in here every day pissed off at him because he wasn’t around. We’re just trying to focus on us individually and who was in this building as a collective and let that stuff work itself out. When he was able to come back in here, it felt like nothing changed.”

It’s clear that Irving’s decision never upset Durant. While he wanted his sidekick to be on the court with him, he was fully aware of the consequences and still vowed his support for him. Now, all they can do is hope the mandate gets lifted before the playoffs.