Kiwi general manager Sean Marks has benched Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving until he is vaccinated against COVID-19.
With the NBA season scheduled to begin next week, the long-standing 'will he, won't he' saga has taken another twist, with Nets ownership and management - headed by former Tall Blacks star Marks - ruling their marquee guard will not play or practice with his team, until he takes the needle.
A free thinker, who once argued the world was flat, Irving has refused vaccination against the coronavirus, despite a New York City ruling that no-one can enter public facilities unless they are immunised.
These protocols would rule Irving out of all Nets home games at the Barclays Center, as well as two games against New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, although he could practice at the team's private facility and he could still play road games.
But Marks and Nets owner Joe Tsai have decided Irving must be a 100 percent participant - or nothing - a remarkable stand in a league where highly paid stars usually hold the power.
"As always, we involved a lot of people in this, but this decision came down to the two of us and it's what's best for the organisation at this point in time," says Marks.
"We looked at everything on the board. When you make a decision like this, you don't want to do it hastily - we involved all the party, think about the variety of different outcomes.
"We all know what our objective is this year and how a decision like this affects that objective, so they're never easy decisions, but at the end of the day, we're looking at putting a group of people out there who can participate fully. That's what this decision comes down to.
"We're not looking for partners that are going to be half-time. That wouldn't be fair on team and staff, ownership and fans, but to be frank, not fair on Kyrie either."
In his first NBA general manager role, Marks has rebuilt the Nets franchise from a laughing stock to become favourites for the 2021/22 championship crown, with a 'Big Three' of Irving, forward Kevin Durant and guard James Harden.
But that star-studded roster has been plagued by injury and fell short of the 2021 NBA Finals last season, when Brooklyn lost to eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Marks says Irving would only lose the salary for the home games, about US$15 million for the season.
"Kyrie has made it clear he has a choice in this matter and it's ultimately going to be up to him what he decides," Auckland-born Marks says. "We respect the fact that he has a choice and he can make his own right to choose.
"Right now, what's best for the organisation is the path we are taking and I don't want to speak for Kyrie. At the right time, I'm sure he will address his feelings and what the path may be for him."
The Nets open their regular season schedule on the road against the Bucks next Wednesday (NZ time).
