Nets will welcome Kyrie Irving back if vaccination mandates change

The Brooklyn Nets will welcome Kyrie Irving back with open arms if New York City’s vaccination mandates change

Remember when the sky was falling after the Brooklyn Nets fell to 1-2? In the blink of an eye, the narrative shifted and Kyrie Irving‘s absence was going to sabotage the season. Brooklyn is up to 5-3 after winning four of their last five and there is some hope that Irving could return to the team at some point.

Head coach Steve Nash discussed the possibility of Irving rejoining the Nets if New York City changes its vaccination policy.

Steve Nash on the status of Kyrie Irving if mayor-elect Eric Adams lifts the New York City vaccine mandate:

"If the mandate changes, he'd be welcome back for sure" pic.twitter.com/RktJwZkS7a

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) November 3, 2021

“I might be speaking out of turn, but I think if the mandate changes he’d be welcomed back. For sure,” Nash assured reporters.

The Nets decided not to have Irving play in away games until he can fully rejoin the team. Remember, this is a New York City policy that is keeping Irving out of home games (and road games against the Knicks).

If mayoral-elect Eric Adams decides to lift the vaccine mandate in New York City, Irving will be back with the Nets in no time.

“The mask mandates we should keep in place … We need to revisit how we are going to address the vaccine mandates,” Adams said per the Washington Post.

The policy is head-scratching, to say the least. Irving cannot compete in home games because of his vaccination status, but unvaccinated players on opposing teams have no restrictions on playing road games in the Barclays Center or Madison Square Garden.

Governor Kathy Hochul doesn’t even have a full grasp on New York City’s vaccine mandate. Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News asked about the exemption for opposing players, but she refused to comment and falsely claimed that it was an NBA policy.

It’s not.

At this point in time, it looks like there is at least a chance that mayoral-elect Adams lifts the vaccine policy and Irving will join the Nets for a run at a championship. The new mayor won’t take office until Dec. 1.