Kyrie Irving, who has been suspended for the Nets‘ last four games after sharing antisemitic content, has met with the team, the NBA, and the National Basketball Players Association on “several occasions” in recent days, the NBPA told players in an email obtained by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the players’ union said in that email that Irving’s rights “have been protected at every turn” and that “the NBPA “(looks) forward very soon to a resolution of all matters satisfactory to all parties.” The memo also reiterated that both the NBPA and Irving “unequivocally condemn antisemitism and all other forms of hate.”
When the Nets initially announced Irving’s suspension, the team stated the ban would cover at least five games, so the guard will miss Saturday’s contest against the Clippers. In theory, he could accompany the Nets on their four-game road trip and suit up as early as Sunday vs. the Lakers.
However, head coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters today that there’s no update on Irving and that he still hasn’t talked to the seven-time All-Star (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of ESPN), so it remains unclear if he’ll play in any of the games out west. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), there’s “skepticism” that Irving will return to action on Sunday, and it’s not a lock he’ll be back on Tuesday vs. Sacramento either.
Shortly after Vaughn spoke to the media, Nets owner Joe Tsai put out a statement announcing that he and his wife (and Nets co-owner) Clara Wu Tsai met with Irving and his family on Thursday.
“We spent quality time to understand each other and it’s clear to me that Kyrie does not have any beliefs of hate towards Jewish people or any group,” Tsai said (Twitterlinks). “The Nets and Kyrie, together with the NBA and NBPA, are working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver conveyed a similar message on Thursday, telling Sopan Deb of The New York Times that he doesn’t believe Irving is antisemitic.
“We had a direct and candid conversation,” Silver said. “He’s someone I’ve known for a decade, and I’ve never heard an antisemitic word from him or, frankly, hate directed at any group … (But) whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.”
While none of the latest comments and reports shed any real light on when Irving might play again for the Nets, most of them seem to point toward it happening sooner or later. That’s a change in tone from what we hearing at the start of the week, when one report indicated there was “growing pessimism” in some corners of the league that Kyrie would ever play for Brooklyn again.
Here’s more on Irving:
- Two sources told Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that Thursday’s meeting between Irving and the Tsais was “very positive,” which bodes well for his chances of returning to the team.
- Irving’s teammates Royce O’Neale and Nic Claxton both told reporters on Friday that they’ve been in touch with Irving and he has been in good spirits (Twitter links via Friedell).
- After saying last week that he didn’t condone Irving’s actions, LeBron James came to the defense of his former teammate on Thursday, tweeting that Irving has apologized and should be allowed to return to the court. “What he’s (been) asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive,” James wrote. “He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him.”
- As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, Nike co-founder Phil Knight told CNBC on Thursday that the relationship between Nike and Irving is likely over for good. “Kyrie stepped over the line,” Knight said. “It’s kind of that simple. He made some statements that we just can’t abide by and that’s why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that.”
who cares what LeBron thinks….
LeBron has the same feelings as Kyrie. He’s going to support him.
Bron didn’t exactly condemn Kyrie
Nice to see that Kyrie is setting such a positive work ethic example for Simmons.
Make sure you don’t follow the coach’s instructions from the bench. You don’t want that guy thinking that he actually manages the team!
At this point, trying to set an example for Ben Simmons is a lost cause. He’s a 25 year old former first overall pick. If that’s not enough to motivate him to be great than idk what is. Kyrie Irving sure as hell isn’t the one.
Millenials gonna millenial.
Nobody cares about Irving and he will be back playing soon. Most people know he is not very smart and falls for any conspiracy theory out there. He is what social media has become lately believing anything you see or read without questioning.
Agreed. Heck of a basketball player with a “questionable brain” outside a basketball court…
I wonder if this clown still thinks the earth is flat… or if he ever did. He seems so disingenuous, dude will say anything for attention.
The memo also reiterated that both the NBPA and Irving “unequivocally condemn antisemitism and all other forms of hate.”
Except Kyrie DOESN’T condemn antisemitism. He had ample opportunity to do so publicly and took every opportunity to sidestep the subject. He didn’t say he wasn’t an antisemite until it was in his best interest financially to do so
They don’t really condemn it at all. It took em nearly 2 weeks to come out and say it’s bad.
Work a buyout and let him go!
Good for Phil Knight and Nike. A line was crossed so they said goodbye even though it means financial loss for them.
If kyrie condems and follows the script layed out for him, nothing changes about kyrie or how he truly feels. It’s all a sham just like silver and this so called punishment. What matters is kyrie averaged 25 a night and the nets need him if they hope to compete for a title.
Lehypocrite
So, what’s the final compromise going to be?
Will it last through his next postgame presser?
Kyrie’s problem is that he is not very smart, likes to say dumb things to argue and cares very little about his teammates or the fans.
Look at the NBA doing PR work for Kyrie and the Nets bc Kyrie is too ignorant to understand what he said and did was at a minimum foolish and insensitive.
Nets…dump him asap, there will be another thing and Kyrie will handle it the same exact way. Save yourself, do it now before he completely ruins your team.
Timberwolves have a 103.9 offensive rating with KAT and Gobert on the floor together.
That would be 3rd worst in the NBA only to the Lakers and Clippers.
Yeah this was a great move. ARoid must have been in on this. Minny will be bankrupt soon
Statuses.com …….
Who told you this ????
Put Kyrie on a boat. And send him to the end of the world.
I’d guess ARod has about 0% say in anything basketball related
You seriously think he was pulling strings to get this done ? Smh
buck breaking. what did he actually say wrong. quote him
As if you would credit reality?
Let’s see, how about these quotes:
“I’m in a unique position to have a level of influence on my community.”
Less than a minute later, Irving states: “I am no different than any other human being… You guys come in here and make up this powerful influence I have.”
“Can you please stop calling it a ‘promotion?’ What am I promoting? I’m promoting it? Do you see me in front of the title? I put it out there, just like you put things out there, right?”
It’s called a struggle session
#LetKyriePlay
He can play 2k anytime he wants.