Brooklyn Nets made a difficult decision to sit out Kyrie Irving for the whole season, as he is refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine and become eligible to play.
Both sides, the Nets and Kyrie, were in talks for a new contract in the offseason, but, for now, the negotiations seem to be stalled, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who talked on Glue Guys podcast.
Irving has a player option for next season worth $36 million next season. He is eligible for a $187 million contract extension this season.
Irving has ruffled some feathers this offseason over his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine. While he was possibly capable of playing in the away games of his teams, the Nets claimed they prefer not to work with a part-time player.
Irving, a seven-time All-Star, missed a total of 18 games last season due to a combination of personal reasons and injuries.
The Nets’ superstar averaged 26.9 points, 6.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds last season, proving he’s one of the best point guards in the league.
