MIAMI — Kyrie Irving, talking for the first time since Thursday’s vaccine mandate exemption cleared the way for him to play at home, is excited over the prospect of finally suiting up in Barclays Center. And now that he can, he hopes to sign a long-term extension so he can do it for years to come.
“I think for me, it has always been about being comfortable, loving where I’m at, and I love it here,” said Irving, who saw talks on a four-year, $186 million deal break down when he refused to get vaccinated. The decision limited him to a road-only part-time player until now. “Once that summertime hits, I know we’ll have some conversations. But there’s no way I can leave my man [No.] 7 anywhere.
“And as we build, as you see me playing with some guys I’ve had some relationships with in the past, and this is the recipe for success — when you have guys that you’ve known for a while, young guys that are willing to listen, and then a front office that’s willing to do what’s necessary in order to build this thing for the long run. So that’s the mindset. And that’s where I’m at.”
“Seven” of course is Kevin Durant, who has been left to carry an outsized burden with Irving having been ineligible to play at home. That is, until mayor Eric Adams announced Emergency Executive Order 62 on Thursday that gave unvaccinated athletes an exemption from the city’s private sector COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Now, Irving is eyeing a home season debut Sunday versus the Hornets.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Irving repeated. “Please take my comment serious when I say I’ve been pinching myself since Wednesday and Thursday, because there was a time where I got my hopes really, really high and all the air was just let out.
“It’s just a level of disappointment, and I didn’t want to get too excited. And still I’m trying to focus on this game. But I know [Sunday] will eventually come, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be playing back in Brooklyn.”
The unvaccinated Irving hasn’t been able to play at home all season, first due to New York City’s indoor vaccine mandates that barred him from even entering Barclays Center and later the private sector mandates that kept him from playing. His decision was divisive, with many calling him selfish while his supporters viewed him as standing up for his — and others — rights.
With 1,430 city workers having been fired for refusing to adhere to the city’s vaccine mandates, when Irving was asked if there was something he could do to help the teachers unions or firefighters, he said he’ll take “progressive action.”
The Nets had fully expected Irving to get vaccinated before the season, the same way general manager Sean Marks had proclaimed “positive conversations” between the team and it’s All-Star point guard on a max extension. But after Irving stunned them by refusing to get vaccinated, talks stopped and the deal was off the table.
Irving’s part-time status limited him to just 20 games entering Saturday’s tilt at first-place Miami, and his weird in-out status likely contributed to Brooklyn being just 8-12 with him coming into the contest.
It’s played a huge role in Brooklyn being stuck in eighth place in the Eastern Conference entering Saturday, and mired in a play-in spot. But Irving and his Nets teammates are still confident they can win a title, either this year or even long-term if he signs on alongside Durant and Ben Simmons.
“To be honest with you, I signed up for this for the long run,” Irving said. “So I love this year. I’m grateful. It hasn’t been a prototypical year. But when I look at my teammates and where we are as an organization, I’m looking for the long run and what we can do legacy talk.
“We can talk again — judge my performance, judge everybody else’s performance, judge the league. But for me, and I know our team sentiment here and have something sustainable. Not just put this together real quick and see what happens. But we will do our best.”
