Angelina's Angle

On March 7, NYC Mayor Eric Adams lifted the Key2NYC vaccine mandate which required proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment venues, which includes the Barclays Center, the home of the Nets.

The mandates has directly affected Kyrie Irving and the Nets since he cannot play home games due to his vaccination status.

Although the Key2NYC mandate is lifted New York City’s private sector mandate which requires workers to be vaccinated, is still in place.

So what does this exactly mean? Well, Irving can attend games at the Barclays Center as a spectator, (he was at the Duke game) but cannot play.

Kyrie is sitting inside Barclays for the Duke game but can’t play there tomorrow against the Knicks. Makes perfect sense.

— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) March 13, 2022

Now, there are some exemptions like: “Non-NYC resident performing artists, college or professional athletes, and anyone who accompanies them.” This applies to visiting unvaccinated players but not Irving, despite the fact that he lives in New Jersey.

Irving, who averages 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists, has played only 19 games in the 2021-2022 season since he can only play away games, except in cities where there are similar mandates in place.

He’s been able to practice with the team at the HSS facility and on Sunday at the Barclays where he was literally a few feet away from the court, without a mask on but couldn’t suit up.

How does this make any sense? It doesn’t. Mayor Adams himself said that it was unfair but he still won’t change it.

What makes things even worse was that the NBA fined the Brooklyn Nets because Irving went into the locker room after the Nets-Knicks game.

Kyrie Irving is allowed to enter the arena, but not the workplace environment — and the locker room is considered part of the Nets' workplace environment at the Barclays Center. Ultimately, the NBA fined the organization — not Irving — for the violation. https://t.co/g04JGoiD5H

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 14, 2022

So basically it’s okay that he was a few feet away from the players, again without a mask, but if he goes to the locker room, that’s not allowed. I really don’t understand it.

The mandate also isn’t just affecting Irving but other New York athletes like the Yankees and Mets who have players that are unvaccinated. Baseball is an outdoor sport but the mandate still affects them.

Spoke to a City Hall spokesperson and the Yankees and Mets fall under the same private sector mandate as Kyrie Irving and the Nets. No difference because it's an outdoor sport. Spokesperson cautioned that things could change by Opening Day.

Story posted shortly

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) March 15, 2022

Now, I am not against vaccines at all, but having this mandate in place doesn’t make sense. Hopefully, Mayor Adams reconsidered and decides to lift the mandate but until then Irving as well as unvaccinated New York athletes are sidelined.