Nets players and team officials are staying in touch with Kyrie Irving, but they’re being careful not to pressure him about his decision regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Irving has steadfastly refused to get vaccinated, even in the face of a New York City mandate that prevents him from entering Barclays Center for home games.
“If you know Ky, you know he loves his personal space,” DeAndre’ Bembry said. “So being able to let him work through this, because obviously we all want him back, but it’s more so about his decisions right now and what he wants to do. So we can’t really can’t really do too much about it. We just pray for him and hope that he can come back.”
When teammates and coaches reach out to Irving, the conversation always focuses on his well-being, rather than basketball-related topics, Lewis adds. Many members of the organization were surprised that Kyrie chose not to get the vaccine, but everyone says they will welcome him back whenever he can return, whether that means the mandate is lifted or he decides to get vaccinated.
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- James Harden and Kevin Durant have become mentors to rookie guard Cameron Thomas, Lewis notes in a separate story. Thomas recorded 11 and 13 points in his last two games and may have played his way into the rotation. “One thing about Cam, though, he’s got the ultimate green light and confidence,” Harden said. “I’ve seen it in a couple guys, but to actually go out there and do it is impressive. He works his butt off, he goes down to the G League, comes back up and … he (is) ready to go. So we just try to give him little nuggets every chance we get, throughout the course of the game, on the court, off the court. He’s learning on the job, and it’s great to pass that knowledge down to a young cat. He gets it.”
- Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, who was an assistant with the Nets last season, is impressed that LaMarcus Aldridge has been able to return to the game after a health scare forced him to retire, Lewis adds. “It was just different that night, because it didn’t go away quickly, which it usually would,” Udoka said. “… He felt like he was out of sorts. I was on him hard (on the sideline) about the things we needed, the things he’s not doing for the first time, and he just kept bumping me in timeouts saying, ‘I feel sluggish, I feel slow. Something needs to get going.’ But looking back on that, it was evident that something was a little off.”
- A sprained left ankle kept Joe Harris out of the lineup for a seventh straight game tonight and it sounds like it might be a while before he returns, according to Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post. “I think he’s made small progress,” coach Steve Nash said. “But I think there’s still a ways to go there, where they’ve got to continue to evaluate different options and how we can help speed up his recovery.”
Got to protect your personal space when it is so flat and finite. Never know who is going to chase you and one can only flee to the edge. Personally, I’ve thought this guy is a clownish head case well before the pandemic and the vaccine became an issue, (which just seems like his latest excuse to be an idiot), but any team who believed in him should know that this clown show is what you get. Talented player…awful mind.
There are way too many Kyrie Irvings in this world.
There way too many people in general. If only there was a way to control the population through fear and crisis, we could make a difference. We’ll need to track them through gps technology and force them to give up rights to their own bodies. If anyone has any ideas please come forward.
Jimmy. Man, you can do better than that.
Unintelligent comments are made by unintelligent people.
Oh I know, CoViD! Right? That’s what you were getting at? That CoViD was invented by a government to control the population and put gps trackers into the people that they force to vaccine? No wait that can’t be it, since that’s the absolute stupidest concept one could imagine. But not to you I’m sure, as O can tell that you’ll also be ready to quote the next stupidest conspiracy that comes out.
Shouldn’t have said that last sentence, that was rude. But come on man, do you really think that?
Jk about the gps I only say that to grab your attention. I do believe the virus is being used to divide and control people. If you don’t see that I’m not sure what world you’re living in. I would presume that world is Ohio, which leads me to ask do you really think a basketball team in Cleveland, without LeBron, is worth rooting for?
Use a cell phone?
@greenwood You get do excited about the Kyrie Irvings of this world.
I can tell you, based on personal experience, that many of them are born and raised in Northern California, Giants74.
The Lowest ticket cost at this moment
Knicks at Nets $63
Clippers at Lakers $114
Suns at Warriors $129
Rockets at OKC $3
OKC at Memphis $4
Wizards at Spurs $5
Small town San Francisco tickets are more expensive than New York
Sillyman you can do better than that
That’s crazy. But it makes sense, bad/rebuilding teams = bad attendance. In fact I saw a picture on twitter of the Rockets on Halloween having a free t-shirt promotion for everyone and the arena looked 1% full at tip-off.
I think Sillivan must live in Siberia. He is not aware of US geography and media markets. Does he not realize that the Knicks and Nets play in the same city. Clippers and Lakers play in the same arena. Does Sillivan realize how big the Phoenix and SF Media Markets are?
Ben and Kyrie are cowards who hate basketball, neither of them will ever touch Klay Thompson’s legacy and true, real love of the game.
C’mon Marty. You want the Warriors to trade for Ben Simmons. You have said this many times. Don’t try and say you didn’t want the Warriors to trade for Ben Simmons. Every body knows you would get rid of the players that are making the Warriors successful. Your low basketball IQ is well documented.
I think you are giving him too much credit by suggesting only his low “basketball IQ” is well documented…
All I can say about Kyrie is that you must admire a man that has the courage of his convictions, be it right or wrong, which we don’t know as yet, time will tell, but he is bravely sticking with it & counted like a man!
& for that I truly think he is to be admired!
Unlike sell outs like Wigs, he doesn’t deserve any respect as a man, his actions are the ones of a man despised by all, sad state of affairs when you are too weak to stand up for your own convictions!
Irving is an idiot, plain and simple, regardless of his position regarding the vaccine. To praise him as a man to be admired due to courage and bravery just makes you look as ridiculous as him, El Don. Honestly, that is par for the course when it comes to your posts, so I am not surprised by this one. Friendly advice…anyone who posts hashtag anything is as big of a fool as those who use the terms “bruh” or “brah.” Just internet sheep. Of course you support Irving and think he is being a man instead of an idiotic child.
The irony of calling someone else an “internet sheep” as you yourself display a clear herd mentality is amazing. Kyrie is an “idiot” because he has his own beliefs, and you are not and idiot because the news told you everyone needs to get a shot. Amazing. Couldn’t have scripted irony any better myself. Thanks for that
Kyrie is an idiot for having idiotic beliefs. Sticking to them is not related to wisdom unless a totality of evidence exists against your beliefs and you refuse to change, which does exist here too. This is a long way of saying Kyrie is a idiot and you don’t know what irony is either. I’m glad you have the courage to put out your beliefs online though, if you didn’t you’d have to actually vent and argue them with experts on subjects you don’t understand. Truly courageous, just like Kyrie.
Not ‘the news’ buddy. Science.
Sticking with it like a man would entail not taking his salary while he takes a stance that prevents him from playing.
Good point
You got it opposite. Wigs displayed courage by going against his “convictions” by manning up and doing what’s right so he could provide for his family.
Irving meanwhile abandons his team and friends for something as simple as a shot because he has the luxury of still getting half his pay and far more money in the first place from prior contracts and endorsements.
“Convictions” in this case, selfish ones of relying on others to get the shot and provide herd immunity, like the shot is more of a risk than a benefit. Or, being afraid of getting poked.
Look at the players refusing.
I hope these primadonnas aren’t getting paid to sit.
Fjjj Kyrie and Ben ….. We still playing.
Nets don’t have a bench right now. That’s why the are mentoring Cam. Kids got gm. Unfortunately it’s all O right now. But Nets can use scoring off the bench. So he can definitely help. Just play smart and keep mistakes low. Nets not winning with Kyrie or without the value for him. Just like Ben is a goner. Nets don’t want Kyrie back. They are better off with a trade. They are learning to play without him. I hope all the Media Houndogs. Who killed Knicks for not signing Kyrie (why would he). And fans who swallowed it. Are now regurgitating all their knowledge of nothing. Only thing that saves these two. Ben n Kyrie.
Is trade them for each other. Then they can go at it for next 5 yrs.
Nets are still working to be a contender. Where Sixers aren’t without a Ben trade. So Moreyon is just showing his ineptitude. Cause Nets will never move Harden now. It’s all on him and KD. So Moreyon is just wasting time.
Haliburton and Bagley and two #1 picks. Wake up offers only going to get lower.