Nets fined $50K for letting Kyrie Irving enter locker room

The NBA fined the Brooklyn Nets $50,000 on Monday for letting Kyrie Irving into their locker room throughout a sport wherein he was unable to play as a result of he’s not vaccinated towards COVID-19.

Irving was a spectator at Barclays Heart on Sunday, sitting throughout from the Nets bench for Brooklyn’s 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks. There isn’t any longer a mandate that followers be vaccinated to enter the sector, however there’s nonetheless one requiring it for somebody who works there.

So the star guard had a seat within the stands, simply as he did an evening earlier to look at the ACC Match championship sport. After the Nets sport ended, he walked off arm-in-arm with Durant, who had scored a season-high 53 factors, towards the locker room.

The league stated in a press release Monday that the Nets violated New York Metropolis legislation and league well being and security protocols by allowing Irving to return into the locker room. Not like the stands, the locker room is taken into account a part of the crew’s office setting.

Durant spent a very good chunk of his postgame interview calling on New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams to vary the mandate, calling it “ridiculous” that unvaccinated individuals may very well be within the enviornment however not play in it. Coach Steve Nash acknowledged throughout his postgame availability that Irving had been within the locker room at halftime.

The Nets launched a press release from Durant on Monday wherein he defined the criticism he directed a day earlier at Adams, who took workplace in January.

“The final two years have been a troublesome and painful time for New Yorkers, in addition to a really complicated time with the altering panorama of the foundations and mandates,” Durant stated. “I do respect the duty the Mayor has in entrance of him with all the town has been by. My frustration with the scenario doesn’t change the truth that I’ll all the time be dedicated to serving to the communities and cities I stay in, and play in.”

Till this week, proof of vaccination was required for followers. Although that mandate has been lifted, there’s nonetheless one in place for these working on the enviornment. The Nets have been already aggravated as a result of that didn’t apply to guests, permitting an unvaccinated opponent to play when Irving couldn’t. They appeared much more annoyed on Sunday, when Irving’s arrival created a scene at a nationally televised sport.