The Brooklyn Nets are not going through a great moment in the 2021-22 NBA season. Steve Nash's team has lost 17 out of their last 20 and is currently on a four-game losing streak after a defeat to the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
The Nets had to deal with many setbacks recently. James Harden was traded to Philadelphia and, even though they landed Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond in return, the Australian has yet to make his debut. On top of that, Kevin Durant had to miss a number of games, and Kyrie Irving continues to be available only in a part-time role.
Kyrie's situation has become a problem for the Nets because in a moment like this, when the season is on the line, is when they need him the most. Irving can't play at home because of the New York City vaccine mandate, yet he showed his support to the mayor, Eric Adams.
Kyrie Irving says Eric Adams is on his 'side'
The possibility of Irving being allowed to play home games without getting the jab has been a talking point over the last few weeks. However, NYC mayor and Nets fan Eric Adams turned that down last week saying that it would be unfair to make an exception only for Kyrie.
"Listen, I want Kyrie on the court," Adams said in an interview with CNBC. "I would do anything to get that ring. So badly, I want it. But there's so much at stake here. And I spoke with the owner of the team. We want to find a way to get Kyrie on the court, but this is a bigger issue.
"I can't have my city closed down again. It would send the wrong message just to have an exception for one player when we're telling countless number of New York City employees, 'If you don't follow the rules, you won't be able to be employed.'"
Far from getting mad at him, Kyrie Irving only had words of praise for the mayor. "Shoutout Eric Adams, man," Irving said after the Nets' 126-120 loss to the Celtics on Sunday, per ESPN. "It's not an easy job to be the mayor of New York City. And with COVID looming, the vaccination mandates, everything going on in our world, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now trying to delegate whether or not one basketball player can come and play at home. I appreciate his comments and his stance. He knows where I stand.
"And I know one day we'll be able to break bread together and he'll be able to come to the games and hopefully we'll move past this time like it never happened in our sense. But, it's just the reality that it's been difficult on a lot of us in New York City and across the world. So, I know he's feeling it and I'm just grateful that he's on my side, as well as the [NBA] commissioner."
As flattered as Adams may feel to hear this, it probably won't change his stance in the slightest. And considering that Kyrie's stance on the Covid-19 vaccine is probably not going to change either, the Nets may have to move forward and try to finish strongly with Irving as a part-time player.
