Dallas Mavericks: Trey Burke declining COVID-19 vaccine

The Dallas Mavericks want to be 100 percent vaccinated heading into the regular season head coach Jason Kidd confirmed during media day. They are hoping to jump into title contention and would love to avoid distractions. Unvaccinated players could be forced to miss games because of local health ordinances, which the NBA says it will follow, and face stricter protocols. They are subject to increased testing and can only have limited interactions with teammates.

Coach Kidd said the Mavs were in the “90th percentile” when asked about the team’s vaccination status, and Trey Burke confirmed he is unvaccinated on Sept. 29. The 28-year-old discussed his stance with the media and mentioned he wasn’t in a hurry to be vaccinated.

Burke doubled down on his stance on Thursday evening when asked by Mike Doocy of FOX 4, Here is a closer look at what he said and what it could mean moving forward.

Dallas Mavericks guard Trey Burke says he’s declining COVID-19 vaccine

Doocy asked Burke for further comment about his vaccination status, and fans can see Burke’s reply below.

The 28-year-old notes that he is “respectively declining” the COVID-19 vaccine and plans to adhere to the NBA’s health and safety protocols for unvaccinated players this season.

Burke has the right to choose, but his decision could make an impact on the Dallas Mavericks. The team has 16 players on partially or fully guaranteed contracts at the start of training camp, and their roster will have to go down to 15 by opening night. If they truly desire to be 100 percent vaccinated, Burke’s decision could play a role in his status on the roster.

The 28-year-old is owed $6.45 million over the next two seasons combined, and the Mavs would have to eat that money to release Burke. The addition of Frank Ntilikina gives Dallas some guard depth, but Burke’s abilities to create shots and score are massive boosts to the team.

Dallas Mavericks guard Trey Burke is declining the COVID-19 vaccine and must adhere to the stricter health and safety protocols for unvaccinated players. Stay tuned to see how that impacts him and the team this season.