The NBA confirmed today that players who miss games due to governmental vaccine mandates in certain municipalities won’t be paid for those games, as Shams Charania of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
“Any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses,” league spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement.
This is especially relevant for players based in New York and San Francisco, the two NBA cities that have implemented COVID-19 vaccine mandates for indoor venues. Players for the Nets, Knicks, and Warriors who don’t receive the vaccine – and don’t receive an exemption – won’t be permitted to play in home games in those cities. Based on how the executive orders were written, the same restriction doesn’t apply to unvaccinated players on visiting teams.
Nets guard Kyrie Irving and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who are both reportedly unvaccinated, are among the most notable players affected by these local mandates. Irving is owed nearly $35MM this season, while Wiggins has a $31MM+ salary, so missing out on game checks for 41 games would result in significant financial losses.
As ESPN’s Tim Bontemps explains, New York’s executive order permits individuals who have received one vaccination shot to enter indoor venues, so Irving and any other unvaccinated Nets would become available virtually immediately if they opt to receive the vaccine. The Knicks have said their roster is fully vaccinated.
San Francisco’s executive order, which requires individuals to be fully vaccinated in order to enter indoor venues, goes into effect on October 13. That means Wiggins is still permitted to practice and play with the team for now, but wouldn’t be by the time the regular season gets underway if he hasn’t been fully vaccinated.
It remains unclear exactly what percentage of a player’s salary he’d lose if he misses a game due to not complying with a vaccine mandate. While teams play an 82-game schedule, the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement docks a player 1/145th of his salary per game when he’s suspended, or 1/110th if the suspension covers at least 20 games. However, there was a stricter per-game penalty in place last season for players who were sidelined due to COVID-19 protocol violations.
The amount of the per-game fine is still being discussed, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links), who notes that we’ll also need clarity on whether the fines are coming from the league or the teams — if it’s the league issuing the penalty, it would create tax savings for the Nets and the Warriors. A team-issued fine would not.
Here’s more on the COVID-19 and vaccination situations around the NBA:
- There’s growing tension between staffers around the NBA – who face vaccine mandates from the league – and unvaccinated players, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Some vaccinated staffers are concerned about the health risks of being exposed to unvaccinated players, while others are upset that players aren’t subject to the same mandates as coaches, referees, and other personnel. Mike Bass said in a statement his week that the NBA has proposed vaccine mandates to the NBPA, but the players’ union has “rejected any vaccination requirement.”
- NBPA executive director Michele Roberts put out a statement on Tuesday confirming that over 90% of the NBA’s players are vaccinated (Twitter link via Mark Medina of USA Today). In Roberts’ view, there should be more focus on that vaccination rate – which is far higher than the national average – rather than the league’s unvaccinated players or lack of a vaccine mandate for players.
- The NBA and NBPA are close to finalizing the COVID-19 protocols for the 2021/22 season, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, who reports that the league sent out a tentative version of those protocols to teams on Tuesday. As previously outlined, unvaccinated players will face far stricter guidelines.
Good. Get the shoot. This isn’t difficult. If you are too stupid to get the shoot, miss work because of it, you can’t get paid. This seems pretty simple. Now watch as the NBA is about to be 100% vaccination rate. You mess with their wallets and the will comply.
Yes let’s alll get the shoot!!! The shoot helps everyone lmao maybe Ben should get the shoot to help with his shot
The only way to score is if you shoot your shot.
It’s a vax or miss your salary league. Maybe these guys can start a gofundme for fans to help them through this. Or their own league.
Umm *puts a frying pan on the stove with a lit burner and then cracks a egg into the frying pan* this is your brain on drugs.
Just for your information, the vaccine is not in anyway, shape, or form that prevents COVID-19. Much like the Flu shot, you still have a good chance of catching Covid. Even if you are against the vaccine, why encourage people to get one. I can’t tell if you are against or for the vaccine. It’s a double take in your response.
Wiggins just flushed 1 year of fans supporting him down the drain. He comes off as a pompous child. When asked why he is against the vaccination he had no answer but n none of your business answer. Sorry but when you are paid that much money you need to man up and answer the question.
I think the answer he gave was plenty for me to know all I need to know. Which you summarized perfectly in the first 1/2 of your post.
I would not doubt if he is traded if he still refuses to get vaccinated. Its going to cost him a lot of money and puts the team in a stressful situation. If he can’t be a team player on GSW then he will never be a team player.
Why does he have to explain a personal decision?
Why do I need to explain to you? So you think you are so special that I need to explain to you? You think you know more about freedom than I? You assume a lot. How do you like me turning your question on you? Boom I just educated you in freedom that you want to take away from me.
What’s in like in your world? Seems a bit looney
What does being paid millions of dollars have to do with him explaining his beliefs on the COVID-19 vaccination?
Easy to explain to fans why he chooses not to be vaccinated. Most antivaxxers have no valid reason but pretend what they hear on social media is true. Almost 99% of vaccination scare stores are 100% false. Why should I cheer for somebody that only cares for himself? So unless he has a legit reason unlike the BS that Nikki claimed that was 100% false lets hear his story so we have a idea where he is coming from.
Ultimately, I’m pro-good science and anti-bad science. But I think as the hospitalizations rise and more people get the vaccine and don’t like . . . instantly die that the reasons for not getting vaccinated for COVID are becoming more untenable.
Having said that, I can see why Wiggins wouldn’t want to share his story, so to speak. Because the people who are “pro-vaccine” are, for the most part, equally close-minded as the anti-vaccine people. People are being told it’s ok to be “vaccine-hesitant”, then in the same breath being told to “educate themselves” on the science (that backs the safety of vaccines). So it’s ok to be vaccine-hesitant, just as long as that hesitancy quickly concludes in the reception of said vaccine.
To me, that’s nonsensical. Either mandate the vaccine across the board – or don’t and let the people who don’t want it to deal with the consequences (either potentially getting a severe case of COVID, or, in Andrew Wiggins case, losing 15 million dollars). But this faux-dialogue about it just needs to end, IMO.
I’m glad the NBA has a sense to let the players choose for themselves, and it’s their business as to why or why not they want the vaccine.. And making millions a year won’t really affect your bank account due to missed games, as long as you’re smart with your bank account anyway
At the end of the day, Wiggins will have well over $100 million in his accounts in a few years, assuming the Warriors don’t try to cancel his contract for missing 41 games and face another year next year of missing games too. Doubtful.
So yeah, he isn’t “hurting.” At all. The millions he loses could matter as far as business dealings down the road but otherwise, no violins for Wiggins.
whatever dude 15 million bucks is 15 million bucks imagine turning down that much money because you dont want to get a shot. i wonder what side of history all these different perspectives will end up on. i guess it really depends on who is writing it.
I think the mandates suck, even though I am not particularly concerned about millionaires losing half of their salary.
I am a fan of freedom, I freely chose to get the vaccine as soon as it was available. I would do it again and I will get a booster as soon as it is available for my age. But I like freedom, even for those who chose differently from me. I don’t like ultimatums and I don’t like being forced to do something, so I am not comfortable with others who get pressured to comply.
Yeah i am sure you made the same arguments when you protested seat belts…
Stop being a fool, freedom does not allow you to infect others and compromise public health.
Be an adult.
Freedom lets you do a lot of harm to others. Why choose this hill to die on?
I guess we disagree on how much this harms others. I got this simply for the same reason I got the flu shot. Don’t wanna get it, don’t wanna take a day off work. Is it foolproof no, but I like my chances better this way…your choice does not make me feel safer or worry about my mom any less. I don’t like my niece having to leave her job after you and the media called her a hero last year, now she is a deplorable. I guess I feel safer with an unvaxed portion of society than I do with people being forced to comply. I think the greater harm is losing freedom. Doubt I changed your mind or that you changed mine.
If someone who lives out in the wilderness of Montana or another isolated place doesn’t want to get vaccinated that’s perfectly fine.
He’s no threat to another person and is at no risk if there’s no contact with other people, he can live his life how he chooses.
But if someone chooses to be part of a society, being in close proximity to others where there’s a risk of transmitting a potentially deadly disease, then that person needs to comply with the rules of society and get vaccinated just like everyone else. That’s fair.
@cf TBF I have chosen to accept the consequences of my refusal to wear a seat belt. Getting the vax (again I have) does not prevent you from getting or spreading it,
“Be an adult” very clever way of telling us you are not bright enough to have a discourse or dialogue and you will chose to be a bully instead. Not a big shock, I know many people like you unfortunately
but getting a vaccination makes you 29 times less likely to be in a hospital because of covid. Which means a person that is sick with a condition could survive their sickness. There are 8 states overwhelmed right now with no hospital beds available to those who do need to be in the hospital. Nothing like saying I am too selfish to care about others but that is your right.
There are also a few hospitals that are understaffed due to letting go unvaxed former hero’s…and here you are preaching about selflessness and selfishness, go on with your bad self.
Trying to do what about excuse but there are only a few hospitals that are understaffed because of vaxx rules but a lot of hospitals with no beds available. South Carolina is in crisis mode so are areas in Florida, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee. Its OK you showed your true colors only you and your opinion matters everyone else is nothing to you.
Oh boy I know I shouldn’t but …….I’m in California. In my region a large majority of the Covid patients in the hospital are vaccinated. Of course this makes sense as our vaccination rates are extremely high.
There is something to be said to critically engage on this topic – all the unreasonable pro Vaxers ( I’m not pro anti Vaxer either- there is a ton of bad actors over here as well) who say follow the science – I will and I do – the real answer that no one wants to discuss – we don’t know crap yet.
We’re in year two of working this epidemic in real time – the method of treatment has changed multiple times as we have learned more – we will have really good answers in 5-10 years once we can aggregate the data and have some comprehensive studies and research.
I do believe that freedom of choice is important and shouldn’t be taken away so easily. Currently this forced decision can eliminate education , employment, travel, and quality of life opportunities – that is a lot of freedom to hand over with out much discourse.
I have the vaccine but I’m a bit older and can make judgement about the risk I want to incur with a rapidly produced vaccine that was completed about 9 years faster than any other vaccine you have ever taken I’m not comfortable forcing that choice on children as young as 5 years old – I would like to see a lot more long term research before making that call.
I like the term trust but verify. A lot of the actors in this process have been known to put politics and money ahead of the common good. Reasonable debate should be encouraged.
Great comment!
You actually bring a lot of common sense in a forum full of bullying people that wants everybody forced into a vax, regardless of freedom of choice!
Absolutely bud, you’re right on the money.
If we agree the vaccine is effective against the virus then “protecting those around you” isn’t an argument we can use. Once you get the vaccine you’re protected regardless of the status of others’ around you.
What is a good argument is protecting the health care system as cases rise and more data is collected on the relative safety of the vaccine. If you’re not vaccinated and you add yourself to the list of people filling up hospital beds you’re hurting others in the sense of diminished medical resources.
Other than that I’m of the opinion it’s a personal choice.
In the ESPN article on shots, why do they all feel the need to speak anonymously? Said “this GM”, said “that trainer”. Odd…With statements of such strong conviction, you’d think they’d want to own it. Irving and Wiggins are…..just sayin
Because nobody wants to go on record with anything COVID related because they know they’ll be roasted by one side or the other
@buddydeal… Truth is that any statement ever made anonymously is either a lie or made by someone too chicken to own it… hence all one can do with these type of statements is disregard them as the trash they are!
People telling the truth stand by their comments as simple as!
After taxes,agents and hangers on these guys don’t end up with 33 million plus.
Kyrie… condoms are 98 effective against transmission of STDs. So because of the 2% you shouldn’t wear them right? Same dumb logic bro. Don’t bother wearing your seatbelt either.
You know what’s 100% full proof? One day you will die. That’s it man. Nothing else is truly guaranteed.
He’s a flat earther so of course he’s skeptical about anything logical.
He’s made enough money to not care about forfeiting checks. Wiggins too. That’s the reality, unlike normal people these clowns can literally afford to make the choice not to vax.
TBF if you wanted to minimize risk because you clearly care about human life you would encourage abstinence which is zero risk as opposed to condoms which likely have the same protection or contagious ratio as not being vaxed
@Phillyballers… Dying is actually your choice, you know! If you acquire knowledge & apply it in your life there is absolutely no reason for you to die… but, hey ignorance is blissful, right?
El Don is apparently living forever? You must be made of straight styrofoam.
Why is it that players for NY, Brooklyn, and Golden State who are unvaccinated can’t play in home games but any unvaccinated players for the road teams can?
That doesn’t make a lick of sense, they should all be held to the same standard.
Greenwood, I agree but I believe the article is incorrect. To me, the quote from Mike Bass does not infer that visiting non-vaxxed players can play. To me, it says that players not conforming to the restrictions of where they play will 1) not be allowed to play and 2) not get paid. Bass’ infers this, IMO. Mr. Adams, could you please cite what the executive orders actually state that deals with visiting players. You quoted “league spokesperson Mike Bass” and to me the quote needs to be expanded.
Multiple reports have stated that the mandates won’t apply to visiting players. Here’s a detailed one specifically about SF, but it applies to NYC as well: link to sfgate.com
Either city could change their position on this, but for now, the only instances where unvaccinated visiting players may have to sit out would be games between the Nets and Knicks.
Thanks for the very quick response. Much appreciated. Unfortunately my android does not open up the link. I’ll keep trying.
Mr. Adams, I Googled the subject and sure enough, visiting players are exempt. And as Greenwood stated, it makes no sense. I can only conclude that the league believes that if a player’s home venue doesn’t demand a vaccine then the player should not be expected to Vax up for one road game. Makes sense
The story I linked was an SFGate one called “San Francisco explains why Warriors players must be vaccinated, but not visiting teams” if you’re interested.
The NBA has made it clear that the league itself has no vaccine mandate for players, but that it will defer to local governmental mandates. Both NYC and SF give exemptions to visitors, so the NBA is going along with that. Even if it seems illogical from a basketball perspective, it’s consistent with the league deferring to the cities’ policies. As I noted above, if a city were to change its policy and applied its mandate to visitors as well, the NBA would likely go along with that too.
Thanks, Luke.
Opposing team’s players should have to abide by the same rules.
As far as San Francisco’s stance they’ve cited that opposing team’s players only play there once or twice a year and steps such as testing and mask mandates can mitigate the risk. The costs of taking these steps with home team players would be far more expensive and impractical versus vaccination mandates as they play there 41+ times a year.
Golden State players shouldn’t have to abide by their city’s rules if it’s own mayor doesn’t abide by them.
She’s been vaccinated. Please clarify.
Her rules were masks, regardless of status, to be worn in restaurants/bars. She doesn’t even mind her own rules.
So by that logic, if a mayor of a city ever drives over the speed limit then they don’t have the right to tell people not to commit hit and run. One thing does not have anything to do with another.
Does anyone actually believe Lebron got the shot?
Ben Simmons refuses to get a shot too.
I don’t see why these guys don’t just pay some nobody to get the shot under their name. When I got the vaccination at the pharmacy at my grocery store, I didn’t have to show ID either time. And the vaccine card I got does not have a photo on it.
Wiggins or Irving should just pay someone $100,000 a year to go get the vaccine under their name and then show the card. No one is going to care if Ray Ray from the corner didn’t get vaccinated. Seems to me it would be a lot cheaper than losing half their salary this year.