James Harden and Kyrie Irving are both incredible players and having a duo like that next to Kevin Durant on the Brooklyn Nets was supposed to be the NBA’s next dynasty. It obviously didn’t quite work out that way and Harden is now a 76er playing alongside Joel Embiid, and that decision to leave the Nets supposedly had a lot to do with how he felt about Kyrie Irving’s actions this season.
Irving missed 35 games at the beginning thanks to his staunch opposition to taking the Covid-19 vaccine. The Nets allowed him to return to use him in road games but that decision is where Harden’s unhappiness supposedly stemmed from. And there was a larger concern for the Beard, with SNY reporter Ian Begley reporting that Harden was worried about what would happen if the Nets faced the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
James Harden was reportedly concerned about facing Toronto in the postseason, as Kyrie Irving wouldn't be eligible to play in either city. 😳 pic.twitter.com/h8dMw5CVJe
— theScore (@theScore) March 4, 2022
“A potential postseason series vs. the Raptors was one of the reasons James Harden was concerned about Kyrie Irving’s vaccine status.”
A vaccine mandate has prevented Irving from playing home games in New York for the Brooklyn Nets this season, and it looks to stay that way despite suggestions that it could be lifted in time for the playoffs. Canada is just as strict, if not more, about the vaccines and that would mean Irving would have to sit out of the entire series if the Nets were to face the Raptors.
Playing an entire series without Irving would be quite difficult for the Nets considering that Joe Harris will be out for the season. Kevin Durant’s MCL sprain was likely the cherry on top of all of this for Harden, who successfully managed to push for the trade that saw him leave the Nets. The Nets still haven’t quite figured out how to deal with Irving’s partial availability but if they can get Ben Simmons up to speed, that might be an answer to any potential playoff matchups.
