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Now that the Brooklyn Nets have traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers, more and more reports are coming out since the blockbuster deal about possible tension between Harden and Kyrie Irving.
It's been reported by numerous outlets now that among other things, Irving's lack of availability this season because of his vaccination status was a critical source of frustration for The Beard. Then Harden checked out and gave his team reason to trade him. Kevin Durant has no timetable for a return and this team is in free-fall mode.
So a team that was supposed to blitz the NBA and win multiple titles has already traded away one of the members of its Big 3, and has now lost 11 games in a row. And a pile of that wouldn't be the case if either Irving had gotten vaccinated months ago or if New York didn't have the mandates. This is a sticky one, isn't it?
Irving could help them even more if he got vaccinated. That he won't makes him a bad teammate in some fans' minds. But not in his own mind. Where do you stand? How does he resolve that? Let's consider the way he's explained it to at least try and understand.
Irving was reinstated by the Nets back in December and his first game was January 5th. But as a road-only player, he wasn't there for his team. At one point, Harden even made a joke that “I'mma give him the shot.” Except in hindsight, it doesn't really seem like Harden thought it was super funny. Still, reporters and fans laughed at the time. The Nets were still winning. It was easy to have a laugh.
Around that same time, Irving was asked if he might change his mind now that Kevin Durant hurt his knee.
“I just don’t want to bring science into this,” said Kyrie on January 17th, “and it always gets wrapped up into I’m asked questions all the time about ‘what’s my status’ and I’m like man if you were in my position it would be easy for someone to say well ‘why don’t you just get vaccinated’ but you’re not. And that’s just the reality of it and I’ve made my decision already and I’m standing on it.”
Irving has made his position relatively clear on this matter. He's made his choice and he stands by that. He doesn't feel like he's letting his teammates down because, as he's talked about, most of his life is lived off the basketball court. So he doesn't let the issue of his professional career dictate everything in his life. He's not bringing “the science” of vaccines into his work life.
You can agree or disagree with Irving's stance on vaccines, or as he might say, vaccine mandates, but we can all grasp that the dude was willing to miss an entire season and a max extension here. So he's passionate about this subject.
He's unwilling to get the jab, and in his mind, the short-term basketball issues like KD's sprained knee, Harden's frustrations, and him being traded are not points of persuasion on “the science.”
Maybe if there was another form of the vaccine with different chemicals, a plant-based one, maybe if circumstances changed and the virus was suddenly far more deadly than it is, maybe something with a family member's health, maybe that type of thing would one day persuade him. Who really knows but Irving?
With that background and context, Irving, wearing his favorite black cap he often wears that reads “paradigm shift” spoke on the topic again following the team's 11th straight loss. Seth Curry and Andre Drummond were healthy and ready but they couldn't play because Irving's former teammate James Harden hadn't made his way to Philly yet. Had they been able to suit up, the Nets may have snapped this wicked losing streak. They fell in South Beach 115-111.
With all of that in mind, a reporter wanted to know if Kyrie feels guilty he hasn't been there for his team more this year.
“Nah, no guilt. I don't know about no guilt,” said Irving. The reporter pressed the issue of vaccines and Kyrie's lack of availability and everything that has happened (hint: James Harden's departure). Irving warned the reporter “don't bring your personal emotions in here. C'mon now, c'mon now, puppeteers,” he chided.
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Irving has used the phrase “puppeteers” on social media as a disdainful way to criticize media members if he feels they're not reporting with integrity and, instead, pushing their own agenda.
Lol I guess this is “breaking news” media nowadays. Keep my family name out y’all Simpleton articles.
The Puppets are running wild Again pic.twitter.com/7NI3Ns1A9p— Chief Hélà 🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) February 10, 2022
“There's no guilt that I feel,” continued the Nets' seven-time All-Star. This year could/would have been his eighth. “You know I'm the only player that has to deal with this, in New York City because I play there. If I was anywhere else in another city then it probably wouldn't be the same circumstances. But because I'm there we have [Mayor] Eric Adams, we have New York mandate, we have things that are going on that are real-life circumstances that are not just affecting me bro….I don't feel guilt I'm just living my life as best I can just like everybody else amidst these last two years.”
This point is controversial. But some people who hate the fact that he isn't vaccinated and disagree with his position there still feel a certain way that players on other teams in other cities without mandates don't get judged as harshly since it's simply not an issue. Justin Holiday doesn't want to get vaccinated. He hasn't had to miss games. Is he a better teammate than Irving? It's at least a little complicated.
If you're a non-vaccinated player who happens to play for the Pacers, you don't have to answer questions about letting your teammates down. There are differences in Irving's case, of course, being a superstar on what was a finals favorite. But still, if the Nets still played in New Jersey, things might be pretty different, basketball-wise.
"C'mon now puppeteers…there's no guilt that I feel, I'm the only player that has to deal with this in NYC 'because I play there. If I was anywhere else …then it probably wouldn't be the same circumstances."
-Kyrie Irving on vax mandates. pic.twitter.com/wx7PPMMVVd
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) February 13, 2022
“Like I said the NBA and the NBPA made it very clear that there would be things that I would be able to do to work around this and that's off the table,” continued Irving. “So you tell me if I'm just alone out there or do I have support from everybody else that's dealing with the same thing?”
I don't know what might one day change Irving's mind on getting the vaccine. He has said he's taking things one day at a time. I believe he feels a certain level of optimism, or as he says he keeps a “positive mindset” that New York City will make the key change, not him.
There has been a shift in verbiage lately coming from New York, at the state level at least. Governor Kathy Hochul has spoken of pulling back mask and vaccine mandates in certain instances. This is the first time since the mandates were implemented that this humble reporter wouldn't be totally shocked if they were eventually repealed. Things feel fluid in that regard.
But Irving has made his choice. He feels no guilt. And in his mind, the ramifications that exist for the Brooklyn Nets, his former teammates, the current ones with sprained knees, that's all basketball stuff. Not his family life. And whether or not he gets a jab is something else entirely from basketball stuff. So then with that mindset, there's no reason to feel guilty about whatever happens on a road trip in February, or whoever got traded because of this.
