New York City Mayor Eric Adams Takes Shot at Kyrie Irving After Mavericks Trade

New York City was so tired of the negative attention Kyrie Irving brought that even Mayor Eric Adams was happy to see him jettisoned to Dallas.

"I will find the team that beats us the most and send him to that team, because then we'll start beating that team," Adams said Monday. "It's about synergy in energy. No matter how much talent you have, your ability to interact with your colleagues is more important," Adams continued.

"One player can bring down the synergy of the team. And so I would send him to the team that beats us the most so we can start winning better."

The Mayor and Irving previously clashed over New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Irving was unable to play in home games for much of the 2021-22 NBA season because of his refusal to get vaccinated, and Adams said he would not make an exception for him to play. New York City eventually pulled back on its mandate last March.

The Nets traded Irving to Dallas for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks just days after the All-Star guard demanded a trade amid stalled contract extension talks. The trade ended a tenure mired in off-court criticism and disappointing results in the postseason.

Based on Adams' comments, it's clear he believes the Nets are better off without Irving.