A whole lot of fans of the Brooklyn Nets are desperate to get Kyrie Irving back on the floor with this team full-time.
One of the fans eagerly awaiting Irving’s return is New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
However, Adams says his hands are tied and he isn’t sure when Irving will be able to play in Brooklyn again.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he wants to see Kyrie Irving play at Barclays but said making an exception for him as he's unvaccinated "would send the wrong message" to the rest of the city.
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Mayor Adams revealed that he will be lifting many COVID vaccine mandates in his city in the week ahead, but he will not be able to eliminate the private sector rules that will keep Irving away from his team.
Speaking with the press, the mayor said: “Listen, I want Kyrie on the court. I would do anything to get that ring. 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.”
Adams continued: “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.'”
Does this mean Irving won’t play at home at all this year?
No Irving In Brooklyn
Last week, there was talk that Mayor Adams was going to lift all COVID vaccine regulations in the city now that coronavirus infections have dropped.
That led many people to believe that it was only a matter of time before Irving was able to once again play in home games in New York.
But Adams’ clarification that he will only be lifting public sector mandates means that Irving won’t be eligible to play without the COVID vaccine.
It’s true that Kevin Durant will soon be returning to the team and they will finally get to play Ben Simmons too.
However, the idea of Irving also in the mix was very tantalizing to fans – sadly, they’ll have to wait longer.
NEXT: Kyrie Irving Still Faces A Challenge In Playing At Home