Choosing not to get a Covid-19 vaccination was a $100m decision, says Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.<\/span><\/p>\n Last season, Irving, 30, could not play in the Nets’ home games until March because of New York’s ban on unvaccinated people in indoor venues.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n His availability for away games was also dependent on different states’ vaccine requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n The seven-time All Star says his decision not to get vaccinated cost him a four-year contract extension.<\/span><\/p>\n “I gave up four years, 100-and-something million deciding to be unvaccinated and that was the decision,” he said. <\/span><\/p>\n “[Get this] contract, get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there’s a level of uncertainty of your future, whether you’re going to be in this league, whether you’re going to be on this team, so I had to deal with that real-life circumstance of losing my job for this decision.”<\/span><\/p>\n The new NBA season starts on 18 October and Irving will play for the Nets on a $36.5m (\u00a333.7m) player option deal, but could become a free agent next summer.<\/span><\/p>\n He had expected to sign a new contract in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n “We were supposed to have all that figured out before training camp last year,” Irving said. “And it just didn’t happen because of the status of me being unvaccinated. <\/span><\/p>\n “So, I understood their point and I had to live with it. It was a tough pill to swallow, honestly.<\/span><\/p>\n “I felt like I was forced with an ultimatum of whether or not I had a contract, whether or not I can be on the team [based on] whether or not I was vaccinated. I was definitely put in that position where I had to make that decision.”<\/span><\/p>\n However, Irving’s view was disputed by general manager Sean Marks, instead saying contract talks “stalled” when the pandemic started.<\/span><\/p>\n “There’s no ultimatum being given here,” Marks said. “Again, it goes back to you want people who are reliable, people who are here and accountable. All of us: staff, players, coaches, you name it. <\/span><\/p>\n “It’s not giving somebody an ultimatum to get a vaccine. That’s a completely personal choice.<\/span><\/p>\n “Two summers ago, when we were talking about contract negotiations, that was pre-citywide mandates that went in. Once the vaccine mandates came in, you knew how that’d affect playing home games. That’s when contract talks stalled.<\/span><\/p>\n “It didn’t get to ‘here’s the deal, now take it back’. That never happened.”<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, Irving’s Nets team-mate Kevin Durant says he is “committed” to the team, despite making a trade request in the summer because of doubts he held about their direction and the leadership of coach Steve Nash.<\/span><\/p>\n He later rescinded the request after meetings with Nets owner Joe Tsai, Nash and Marks.<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m getting older. I want to be in a place that’s stable and try to build a championship culture,” he said. <\/span><\/p>\n “We came to a mutual agreement that we should keep moving forward.”<\/span><\/p>\n He added: “I still love to play. I knew that wasn’t going to be affected.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Kevin](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/36D4\/production\/_126863041_gettyimages-1395057957.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span>
![\"Around](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/7A0C\/production\/_112244213_soundsheaderv1-nc.png\")
<\/span><\/span>![\"Around](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/A11C\/production\/_112244214_soundsfooter-nc.png\")
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n