Unvaccinated NBA Players Won't Get Paid for Missed Games

Source: Unvaccinated players who miss games won't get paid, NBA says (link)

For months, NBA stars and executives have pushed for every player to get vaccinated. Though 90% of the league is vaccinated, according to a CNN source, there are still a few  notable holdouts, such as Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins -- and it could cost them.

Today, Mike Bass, the NBA's executive president of communications, announced that unvaccinated NBA players who do not comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for the games they miss. The rule mainly affects unvaccinated players on the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors, as both New York and San Francisco require players to be vaccinated, barring any religious exemptions. (Last week, the New York Knicks announced the team was fully vaccinated.) If players remain unvaccinated, they cannot compete in home games, and today's announcement confirms that missing play will also mean less money.

The cities' vaccination policies do not apply to players from visiting teams who compete at their arenas. However, though the same requirements are not mandatory for all of the league's players, those who remain unvaccinated -- regardless of team -- are all under stricter health and safety protocols. On Tuesday, the NBA announced that unvaccinated players will undergo daily Covid-19 testing prior to entering a team facility, participating in team-organized activities, or interacting with other players and Tier 1 Personnel, meaning coaches, referees and anyone working within 15 feet of players on a regular basis. Outside the team environment, unvaccinated players will be required to stay inside their homes during home games or at the team hotel when on the road, only being allowed to leave for essential activities.

Vaccinated players, meanwhile, will still do weekly Covid-19 testing.