Kyrie Irving status remains confused as Mayor Adams seems to thwart Nets hopes again

The Kyrie Irving situation remains confused as ever.

In an interview with YES Network’s Michael Grady Thursday, Sean Marks hinted that the team can expect vaccination mandate news within the next couple of days.

“I think like four-million other Brooklynites, we’re hoping soon the better to get this team together. That involves Kyrie, so we’re waiting like everybody else to see how these mandates change, how they tweak,” Marks told Grady. “Again, over the next 24-48 hours, hopefully, there’s some news for us as to what they may look like. And Kyrie can get back out here. Nobody wants to be on the court more than Kyrie.”

Because he’s unvaccinated, Irving is prohibited from playing in Brooklyn under the city’s private employer mandate.

Then on Friday morning, Mayor Eric Adams seemed to thwart the hopes Marks had raised. In a Times Square press briefing where he announced the end of the vaccination mandate for indoor venues, Adams said he has no plans to end the private employer mandate which is Irving’s last hurdle.

Is there wiggle room in Adams comment “under existing rules?”

Irving’s been playing on the road since January. But with only seven of the Nets 18 games on the road — or at Madison Square Garden — Irving’s role will be limited. Of the Nets last eight games, when the Nets might be fighting for a higher seed, Irving will only be available for one, April 2 in Atlanta.

On Tuesday, John Abbamondi, CEO of the Nets and BSE Global, told reporters that the organization has been lobbying for Irving’s return.

“Those questions are best addressed by our GM Sean Marks, but I will say we’re in close contact with the city,” Abbamondi, told the media at the opening of another Nets-sponsored food pantry. “We’re optimistic the infection rates in the city will continue to go down and that the restrictions will be lifting gradually for everybody in the city. That’s the most important thing.”