Kyrie Irving returned to the Barclays Center for the first time since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks exactly one year ago. As Irving put up 36 points to lead Dallas to a win, a fan asked the star why he didn’t play like this during his time with Brooklyn. Irving responded to him by taking a shot at NYC mayor Eric Adams.
“You can thank Mayor (Eric) Adams for that!”
I asked @KyrieIrving why he didn’t play like this when he was in the @BrooklynNets ? He told me to thank @NYCMayor for that #netsworld pic.twitter.com/RtG33m7fUR
— Courtside Nets (@Courtsidenets) February 7, 2024
Irving’s departure from Brooklyn was messy, with various controversies becoming the major takeaway from his time with the franchise. One of these controversies was his refusal to get vaccinated, even after New York passed a law mandating vaccination to work in the city.
Irving missed half a season because of the vaccine mandate. His refusal to get vaccinated was national news, even prompting Mayor Adams to address him publicly in 2021.
“New York is not going to change their rules. It’s up to the NBA and Kyrie Irving to work something out.”
Adams would address Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated in March 2022 as well.
“Listen, I want Kyrie on the court. I would do anything to get that ring. But there’s so much at stake here. We want to find a way to get Kyrie on the court, but this is a bigger issue. I can’t have my city closed down again. It would send the wrong message just to have an exception for one player when we’re telling countless New York City employees, ‘If you don’t follow the rules, you won’t be able to be employed’… Trust me, I want Kyrie on the court. We are here right now, open in our city because of vaccine mandates. We can’t close down again.”
New York would lift the vaccine mandate a few weeks after the second statement by Adams, but it led to no success for the Nets. Kyrie’s vaccine holdout saw James Harden demand a trade in January 2022, which built up to the Nets getting swept in the first round by the Celtics. The team would be fully deconstructed by February 2023, with Irving being sent to Dallas and Kevin Durant joining the Phoenix Suns.
Kyrie Irving Excelled In His Return To Brooklyn
Kyrie Irving has spent this season plagued with several injuries. He entered the year with issues in his foot, which caused him to miss time in the first month of the season. Dwight Powell fell on his shin and ankle after a scary play in December, prompting a nearly month-long absence for Irving. Even after returning from that, Irving suffered a thumb sprain in January and is back on the court.
When Irving plays, he’s must-watch TV. He’s averaging 25.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season, hoping to lead the Mavs to a winning streak with Luka Doncic. The pair have won their first two games together since Kyrie’s return, beating the Philadelphia 76ers yesterday and now picking up a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
The game against the Nets was closely fought, as the Mavericks almost blew a double-digit first-half lead. But Irving’s 36 points and Doncic’s 35 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists made sure that the Mavericks won their last game before the trade deadline.
The Mavericks don’t have lofty trade plans in the works right now, but they’re pursuing the acquisition of a power forward to add some size to their weak frontcourt.
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