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It appears Kyrie Irving's decision to not get vaccinated could seriously hurt his chances of staying with the Brooklyn Nets for the long haul.
Recently, GM Sean Marks made it clear he wants players who are available to play all the time, essentially firing a blow at Kyrie for his absences across the last two seasons due to his vaccination status and injuries. With Irving's $36.5 million player option looming and no extension in sight, reports are saying the Nets now aren't willing to give him a long-term deal.
Via Kristian Winfield of the NY Daily News:
The Nets’ championship hopes hinge on an amicable solution with Irving, whose personal decision not to get vaccinated and unpredictable injury history have left the Nets hesitant, and now, according to a source familiar with the Nets’ thought process, outright unwilling to give him a long-term extension.
This is obviously a huge surprise and would likely leave Kevin Durant very worried, though perhaps he too is getting fed up with his pal. Kyrie, when healthy, is still one of the best players in the league and crucial to the Nets‘ pursuit of an NBA title. If he does leave Brooklyn, it would basically be KD with a bunch of role players and Ben Simmons, who will be coming off back surgery and hasn't played since the summer of 2021.
That being said, Durant is surely going to push the Nets‘ front office to bring in another star if Irving takes his talents elsewhere. The trickle-down effect is real here, and Brooklyn would've never been in this position if Kyrie Irving just got vaccinated like everyone else.
Like Stephen A. Smith says, it's a damn shame.
