With the 2021-22 NBA season looming, the questions about what Kyrie Irving will do about his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Because if he stays unvaccinated, he won’t be able to play in New York — yep, that’s right, he’ll miss every Nets home game, every contest against the Knicks, home playoff games and practices — given local policies.
Per ESPN, the Nets “have made no decision on whether the organization will accommodate him as a part-time player this season.”
They could just say he’ll play on the road … or they could tell him to sit out until he gets his vaccine.
But what if it’s the former and not the latter? How much does he stand to lose?
Here’s ESPN’s Bobby Marks:
Here is what Kyrie Irving stands to lose financially:
$381,181 for every missed home game
💰2 preseason games: $762K
💰41 home games: $15.6M
💰2 games at NYK: $762K
💰Bonuses: $413K
💰Playoffs: TBDIrving is also extension eligible: 4 years/$187M
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 6, 2021
That’s a $17 million-plus decision, not including playoff pay, and he’d be able to play in California, per Marks:
No because he’s considered a visiting player
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 6, 2021
There had been previous optimism Irving would get vaccinated and fulfill local mandates, but that hope is waning and Irving’s continued resistance to vaccination has Nets preparing for possibility they’ll be without him for home practices and games for foreseeable future. https://t.co/zysmp31bsl
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 6, 2021
I know he’s made a ton of money in his career — according to Spotrac, it’s over $158 million. But that’s A LOT of money to lose.
