"I gave up four years, 100-something million, deciding to be unvaccinated" - Kyrie Irving opens up on missing out on an extension due to his vaccination status
Brooklyn Nets' superstar guard Kyrie Irving has been one of the strongest advocates of personal choice when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
Irving stood up for his beliefs last season, which resulted him playing only 29 games for the Nets. However, the decision to remain unvaccinated cost Irving much more than just missing games. During the Brooklyn Nets' media day, Irving shared how the decision also caused him to miss out on a contract extension. He said:
"I gave up four years, 100 something million, deciding to be unvaccinated."
Kyrie Irving: "I gave up 4 years, 100-something million to be unvaccinated."
With regards to his contract talks with the Nets, Irving mentioned that he understood why the Nets organization wanted him to be vaccinated. However, he wasn’t a fan of how his refusal to get vaccinated impacted his reputation. Irving continued:
"I didn't appreciate how me being unvaccinated all of a sudden came to be a stigma within my career that I don't want to play."
"I didn't appreciate how me being unvaccinated came to be a stigma within my career that I don't want to play, or that I'm willing to give up everything to be a voice for the voiceless."
- Kyrie Irving https://t.co/yE6E0GU03N
After not agreeing on an extension, Kyrie Irving requested a sign-and-trade opportunity this offseason. However, he wasn’t able to find the right fit and ultimately picked up his $36.5 million player option for the 2023 season.
This means Irving will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. During media day Irving was asked if he came close to leaving the Nets through a sign-and-trade deal and gave a very direct answer. He said:
Yeah, there were options. But not many, I tell you that."
Despite not agreeing to an extension, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks still had some kind words for Irving on media day. Marks said:
"We’re happy to support him in any possible way throughout this season to make sure that he's healthy and committed and ready to go. We're going to see a very determined Kyrie Irving, we've already seen it this summer."
Expectations for Kyrie Irving entering the 2022-2023 NBA season
Kyrie Irving is undoubtedly one of the premier offensive talents in the NBA. However, his refusal to get vaccinated has led many fans to think he doesn’t care about winning or is unreliable. But, unfortunately, it wasn’t just last season that Irving missed a large number of games.
The last time Irving played 70+ games in a season was in 2016-2017 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Irving has also only played a total of 103 games in three seasons in Brooklyn. So, simply put, Irving will have to prove that he can stay on the court and be a reliable second option for the Nets this season. If he can do that, the Nets could look very dangerous in the East.