Shaquille O’Neal is never shy about speaking candidly when something bothers him, especially when it comes to current players. Recently, he also took out the sulphate again against a heavyweight in the Eastern Conference. For the Big Diesel, there is no doubt about it: it has to pack its bags.
First in the Eastern Conference with 21 wins and 9 losses, the Nets have started very well this season. Better still, they succeed when their personal situation is not obvious, with many absent. Joe Harris is absent for almost two months, the health protocol has affected James Harden… And of course, there is Kyrie Irving, who has not played a game in 2021-22, refusing to be vaccinated.
However, it has been official for a few days, the leader will return to competition, even if he must first go through the health protocol box. However, he will have to give up home games, with New York City banning non-immune athletes from playing. For Shaquille O’Neal, such a situation is unacceptable… To the point that he asks Blacks and Whites to separate from the player!
Shaq on Kyrie Irving: “It Must Be Traded”
It is a question of sacrifice. How can you have a champion team if one of your main players doesn’t want to sacrifice themselves?
This is not the first time that the Hall of Famer has targeted Uncle Drew, since the latter announced refusing to be vaccinated. In early November, he made a similar speech about the 2016 champion, explaining that he would not have wanted him as a teammate:
Kyrie has her opinions. He has his opinions. But if you’re on my team and you can’t play the home games, I don’t want you. If we have a chance to win and if you’re not ready to sacrifice yourself for the team, go somewhere else, period. Move your ass out of here.
For O’Neal, there is no point in being a member of a squad if personal decisions prevent being available for an entire campaign. This is precisely what is happening here, with Irving out of step with the covid-19 vaccination. It should be remembered that the boy is a follower of conspiracy theories … Anyway, he has missed more than 30 games now, even if he will return quickly.
In reality, however, it is not believed that Brooklyn will comply with the Big Diesel request, at least not until the coming summer. Now that he has been reinstated in the roster for away games, that would be very strange! Unless the franchise wants to raise its rating in the market. The concern is that there are always rumors that he will retire if there is a trade. He denied them, but you never know …
Shaquille O’Neal is not sparing Kyrie Irving, whom he believes lacks the mentality to be part of a title contender. An opinion that stands, a collective that must be fully united to avoid extra-sporting distractions. Suffice to say that this is not the case with Uncle Drew!
