Jay Williams would still consider the Nets the favorite team in the East, even if Kyrie Irving was not there. (1:23).
Monday's statement by Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, stated that he would prefer that the NBA and National Basketball Players Association reach an agreement on a mandate for vaccines. This is partly to prevent it from becoming an "adversarial issue" for the league's players as it was for Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets star.
Silver stated that he would not speak on behalf of [the NBPA], except for the view that some players had. However, he said that he believed that it should be an individual decision among the players during the annual preseason news conference. This was done virtually because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"I would prefer that the Players Association had agreed to mandatory vaccinations. Despite opposition from some members, the officials union approved mandatory vaccinations. However, I believe we could have avoided some of the antagonistic nature of these issues that affect our players. The league is not the best example. It can get a little confusing in certain cases.
"This is between Irving, New York City right now. Although this is not a league issue, I believe it would have been better for all if everyone was vaccinated.
Irving is the only NBA player currently unable to participate in this season's games due to a mandate for vaccines. New York City passed a mandate that everyone who goes to public gyms, such as the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and Manhattan's Madison Square Garden must receive at least one COVID-19 vaccination shot. San Francisco passed a similar law last week that required all individuals to be fully vaccinated.
Andrew Wiggins, Golden State Warriors' forward, was eventually vaccinated and is now eligible to play. The New York Knicks and New York Knicks have all been vaccinated. Irving, the Nets' lone player, has decided to not get the vaccine and is therefore ineligible for games at Madison Square Garden or Barclays Center. He could lose as much as $20 million if he continues to make this decision for the whole season.
However, visiting players are exempted from the law. This means that Irving is the only person who cannot play because of the law. Silver stated that he had not heard anything about New York's vaccine mandate being relaxed at any time this season.
Silver responded that it was unfair that Irving couldn't play, while unvaccinated players like Bradley Beal of Washington Wizards were able to.
Silver stated that "I don't know if fair is the best way to approach it, because there's nothing equitable about this virus." It's not discriminatory in its impact on people, so it's appropriate that New York City and other cities have passed laws requiring that everyone who works and visits arenas be vaccinated. It seems that this is a responsible decision in public health by the respective locales. These are the conditions under which the Nets operate.
"I agree. "I accept that. I believe that as a league, we must play the cards dealt. There are variations between markets. Some players in certain markets would prefer their local governments to pass ordinances that require all fans who are present in the buildings to be vaccinated.
We'll watch how it turns out. I honestly hope Kyrie, despite his strong feelings about vaccination, will eventually get vaccinated. I would love to see Kyrie play basketball this season and the Brooklyn Nets with all their players.
Beal's comments about Irving's decision to not get vaccinated and the comments of others about it have sparked a lot of discussion on social media. Silver was asked if he was concerned.
Silver stated that he was, and that he encourages players to voice their opinions on issues they care about. He said that he does not believe someone's personal opinion automatically becomes theirs and pointed to Irving as an example.
"... Silver stated that sometimes it is easy to forget that an individual's opinion on whether or not to get vaccinated can have an impact on your ability to play NBA basketball. "We are seeing this in the New York Market right now. When there is a conflict between a player's view and the local laws, the local law will prevail over that player's view.
"I have always tried to make sure that players feel at ease using the platform that this league offers. This does not mean the league. They are not just a well-known NBA player.
"I hope that players will continue to voice their opinions on a wide range of topics. That doesn't necessarily mean the league or fans will agree with them, but it does mean that they will be respected for their opinions. However, as long as they don't violate any lines of vulgarity, hate speech, or other unacceptable behavior, there are some categories in which people shouldn't represent this league.
Silver stated that the NBA was continuing to investigate possible tampering in the Chicago Bulls' sign-and trade deal with New Orleans Pelicans for Lonzo Bal and the Miami Heat in the sign-and–trade deal with Toronto Raptors for Kyle Lowry. Silver declined to provide a timeframe for the completion of that investigation.
Silver stated that "from a league perspective, we're just looking to create a level playing surface." "We tried to reset two year ago and made it clear to our teams that we would strictly enforce these rules going forward. That's what we're doing right now."
Silver stated that he has not yet been to Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena. This is the former Key Arena and home of the NHL's expansion club, the Seattle Kraken. Silver said that the league won't pursue expansion until it is fully on the other side from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Silver stated that there is no doubt that some day we will look into potential expansion. "And as I have said before, Seattle has been one of our top cities. They have had great success in the past and now they have a state of the art arena online only enhances their chances. It's too early to be more specific.
Silver stated that it was "unclear" if the NBA would return to China's state-run CCTV this season. Since Daryl Morey's support for protesters in Hong Kong, two years ago, the NBA has not had any games aired there.
Silver reiterated that he supports adding a midseason tournament on the NBA schedule. However, the majority of the work is going to be in convincing the players that it is worthwhile.
He said, "But we still have a lot to do and a lot to convince." "I have spoken to some players who don't see the value of another type of competition because they are so focused on the Larry O'Brien Trophy. They don't think we can create a new tradition.
"Having been involved with the league for so many years, my response is that these things are slow. We are in a situation where we need to take a long-term perspective and look at the changes in society. It's the responsibility of the league office, I believe, to look into the future.
Silver stated that he is optimistic that the NBA's All-Star Game next February in Cleveland will be able be celebrated in a similar fashion to last year as the league struggles to recover from the ongoing pandemic. Over the next few days, the league will announce its 75th anniversary team on both ESPN and TNT. Its announcement will begin on TNT Tuesday night.
