Nets news: Adam Silver delivers message to Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn

Adam Silver hopes Kyrie Irving will evetually get the COVID-19 vaccine and re-join his Brooklyn Nets teammates on the basketball court.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver conducted a virtual press conference one day before the 2021-22 season tips off, and he was predictably asked about Kyrie Irving‘s anti-vaccination status that has caused the Brooklyn Nets to ban their star guard.

Silver expressed hope that Irving eventually does receive the COVID-19 vaccine and rejoins his teammates on the court.

“Frankly, I hope that Kyrie, despite how strongly he feels about the vaccination, ultimately decides to get vaccinated, because I'd love to see him play basketball this season, and I'd love to see the Brooklyn Nets have their full complement of players on the floor,” Silver said.

Irving remains away from the Nets, not getting paid for home games missed, and the team is moving on without the All-Star point guard until he gets the shot rather than allow him to be a part-time player. Irving is not allowed to play in games in New York due to the city's COVID-19 ordinances, which require vaccinations for public facilities like the Nets' Barclays Center.

Silver said he does not expect New York to relax its policies anytime soon. He did note that 96% of NBA players are already vaccinated—well above the rate of American citizens as a whole.

Silver touched on a slew of topics beyond just vaccines. Among others, he acknowledged the possibility that a midseason tournament in the style of European soccer leagues “would make sense” at some point in the future.