"New York is not going to change their rules; It鈥檚 up to the NBA and Kyrie Irving to work something out" - NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams makes his stance clear on the Brooklyn Nets point guard
Since the start of training camp, the Kyrie Irving COVID-19 situation has been looming over the Brooklyn Nets' heads. Newly-elected New York City Mayor Eric Adams, winning the election on November 2nd, said he was open to revesting the NYC COVID-19 Mandaite.
After Adams's election win, Adrian Wojnarowski went on ESPN to say that Irving had hope in the new mayor revisiting the restrictions,
Woj on ESPN: "There's some hope, some optimism, I'm told, including around Kyrie Irving, that revisiting [New York City's Covid-19 mandates] may also include performers and athletes."
Future NYC Mayor Adams, who will take office on January 1st, went on CNN, and when asked about Irving, he said:
"New York City is not going to change their rule, and again, it's up to the NBA and Kyrie to come to an understanding on how to keep him on the Nets."
Mayor-elect Eric Adams on CNN about whether he'll life the vaccine mandate so Kyrie Irving can play this season: "New York City is not going to change their rule, and again, it's up to the NBA and Kyrie to come to an understanding on how to keep him on the Nets." #Nets
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Talks About Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving https://t.co/aRwONJHLZK
It seemed like a genuine possibility that Irving could make his return to the court after Adams was sworn in. Nets head coach Steve Nash is even being asked questions about the situation.
Nash told reporters when asked:
"If the mandate changes, he'd be welcomed back, for sure."
Steve Nash on Kyrie Irving and NYC vaccine mandate: "If the mandate changes, he'd be welcomed back, for sure."
It now seems less likely that NYC laws will be changed now and that Irving鈥檚 best possible option to rejoin the Nets would be to get vaccinated and not count on the law being changed.
With the Nets getting hot, is Kyrie Irving still necessary to win an NBA title?
Yes, Kyrie Irving plays a crucial role in the Brooklyn Nets in many ways, and this season, they have struggled to replace him. Even though the Nets are hot right now, the Nets' goal is to win a title, and the odds of that happening with Irving are a lot higher than without.
kyrie irving game 4 vs bos 2021
39 pts
11 reb
2 ast
46/50/100 shooting splits https://t.co/j6N90CSWNL
Say what you want to say about Irving off the court, but on the court, Irving is one of the most pure scorers in the league. He proved that last season by scoring 26.9 points a game while also joining the 50-40-90 club, showing his elite efficiency.
On top of that, he also added six assists, and even though Irving was no longer the primary ball handler with James Harden on the team, he was still an elite option. Irving was able to run the offense when Harden was on the bench while also being an elite off-ball player when playing alongside Harden.
Even though the Nets have two of the best players in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Harden, the team has struggled on offense, only scoring 106.1 points per game for the 19th highest in the league. This will likely improve over the season, but Irving immediately made them one of the best offenses ever.
Also Read: How much is James Harden鈥檚 Net Worth in 2021?