There are winds of change blowing in New York. Governor Kathy Hochul lifted a mask-or-vaccine mandate for indoor businesses last week. Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and New York City Mayor Eric Adams both addressed the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place, which is keeping Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving from playing in home games because he refuses to get vaccinated.

Just hours after Silver questioned why unvaccinated visiting players can play in New York while Irving can't, Adams echoed a similar refrain, though he admitted he's “struggling” with the decision to make a critical shift in policy.

Via The New York Times' Emma Fitzsimmons:

https://twitter.com/emmagf/status/1494042617251778561?s=20&t=VWu6Vl-l5NKbMmzzGc7sbg

Adams, importantly, added he doesn't want to send a “mixed message” on this matter. But he at least makes his feelings clear on an apparent contradiction that's unfair to his city.

Here's what Silver had to say about the Nets star and this matter in general:

So if the Governor is potentially on board with change, and the NBA Commissioner can't make sense of our status quo, and the NYC Mayor now at least feels things are “unfair,” all of that could lead us to conclude there may be a change at some point, right? You can listen to Adams even joke that maybe a Boston Celtics fan made the rule:

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Mavericks' Luka Doncic smiling at the American Airlines Center. In background, need Mavericks fans cheering at the American Airlines Center.

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Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Mavericks' Kyrie Irving both smiling in front of image. In background, need both Doncic and Irving shooting basketballs.

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The big question then becomes when there could be a change. That's still a mystery:

While many fans believe Kyrie Irving should get vaccinated for his own safety and those around him, the fact that unvaccinated players on rival teams can freely perform in Brooklyn while Irving cannot is at least a bit confusing. What is the implication … that someone who is not vaccinated but lives in NYC is more of a threat to those they come in contact with than someone who isn't vaccinated but visits from Indiana or D.C.?

Former Nets star James Harden apparently had a big problem with Kyrie Irving's part-time status. We can't help but wonder what would have happened if the team refused to trade him and then the vaccine mandate rules in NYC changed. We'll keep an ear out for more on this subject, but this is suddenly the league's most important story from a championship odds standpoint.