Unvaccinated NBA players won’t get paid for missed games

Players who are forced to miss games due to the executive orders governing vaccination requirements in New York and San Francisco will not be paid for any games they miss.

“Any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses,” Mike Bass, the NBA’s executive vice president of communications, said in a statement Wednesday morning.

Both cities passed executive orders in recent weeks that could affect the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors. The order in New York, which applies to the Barclays Center, requires one COVID-19 shot. To enter San Francisco’s Chase Center, a person must be fully vaccinated.

Nets star Kyrie Irving was not at the team’s media day at the Barclays Center on Monday as a result of the order in New York, which went into effect earlier this month. During the Warriors’ media day, Andrew Wiggins said his vaccination status was “private” ahead of that order going into effect next month before the start of the regular season.

The executive orders governing the vaccine only apply to the players who play in those markets; out-of-market players are exempted from them.

The New York Knicks have previously said their entire organization, including all players, is fully vaccinated and compliant with the New York City law.

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are finalizing an agreement over this season’s health and safety protocols.