Kyrie Irving has received criticism in recent days due to his decision not to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The Brooklyn Nets guard isn’t alone on this matter, as other players like Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Isaac and more are adamant that they won’t take the shot.
Still, Kyrie is the one getting all the attention given his complex personality and past controversies. The player has stated he’s working on a solution with the team’s front office, but that doesn’t please people who want to see the Nets compete for the title next year.
Recently, Shaquille O’Neal claimed that the Nets should trade Kyrie if he didn’t get the vaccine. Shaq says that the James Harden-Kevin Durant duo and their role players are enough to win a championship.
Many people agree with Shaq in that matter, including Kendrick Perkins. The former player-turned-analyst backed O’Neal’s comments, saying the Nets’ front office must ‘pull the plug’ and get rid of Kyrie. On Friday’s edition of ESPN’s First Take, Perkins said:
“Don’t let this man be a distraction. Sometimes you gotta … walk upstairs and pull the plug.”
.@KendrickPerkins agrees with Shaq that the Nets should trade Kyrie Irving 😳
"Don't let this man be a distraction. Sometimes you gotta … walk upstairs and pull the plug." pic.twitter.com/hubeKDKYKQ
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 1, 2021
He doubled down on these comments on Twitter, claiming that James Harden and Kevin Durant should move on from Kyrie, as he hurts the team’s chances to win it all next year.
If I’m Kevin Durant and James Harden I would not let Kyrie stand in the way of me winning a championship… These opportunities don’t come around often! Carry the hell on…
If I’m Kevin Durant and James Harden I would not let Kyrie stand in the way of me winning a championship… these opportunities don’t came around often! Carry the hell on… https://t.co/pJU6xuUETR
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 1, 2021
It seems like every season, Kyrie Irving is involved in a new controversy. This time, his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine put him in this situation. The superstar has asked people to respect his privacy. Still, seeing how hard things will be for the Nets if he doesn’t take the shot, the NBA world waits to see what will happen with the 2016 NBA champion.
Some started to ask for a trade, but the Nets have made it clear they won’t move Kyrie. Still, this is a very serious situation that is already hurting the Nets’ chances of becoming NBA champions in 2022.
