Adrian Wojnarowski believes Kyrie Irving is entering the ‘final stages’ for reinstatement with Nets: “I think it's entering certainly its final stages”
Reports are coming out that Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving could return to the team as soon as Sunday. Irving was suspended by the team on November 3 for promoting an antisemitic a film on his Twitter account. He might be available to play in their upcoming game against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 20.
Irving's situation has caused a divide among fans and players. Some believe that Kyrie Irving didn't deserve to be suspended. Others believe the Nets made the right decision.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was in favor of the suspension. He said:
"I feel that we got to the right outcome here in terms of his suspension. And in retrospect, we may have been able to get there faster. I accept that criticism."
"But I felt it was important to understand the context in which it was posted to understand what discipline was appropriate, not in any way to excuse it but to understand what discipline was appropriate."
Silver was criticized for not acting on the situation sooner.
Kevin Durant speaks about Kyrie Irving
Kevin Durant spoke about the controversy during a recent interview with Chris Haynes. He explained why he refuses to speak out against Irving:
“I’m not a leader? What the f*** does that mean? A lot of people say I’m not a leader because I didn’t tell Kyrie to get vaccinated. Come on. Or I didn’t condemn Kyrie for leaving the team, going out and living his life."
"I’m not about to tell a grown-a** man what he can and can’t do with his own life. I'm not going to dissect his views or how he thinks about sh*t."
Kyrie Irving could play against the Grizzlies
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Kyrie Irving is close to completing the list of demands outlined by the Nets organization. They include apologizing for promoting the movie, participating in antisemitism training and donating $500,000 to anti-hate causes.
National Basketball Players Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio said to ESPN:
"Kyrie is continuing his journey of dialogue and education. He has been grappling with the full weight of the impact of his voice and actions, particularly in the Jewish community. Kyrie rejects antisemitism in any form, and he's dedicated to bettering himself and increasing his level of understanding."
"He plans to continue this journey well into the future to ensure that his words and actions align with his pursuit of truth and knowledge."
ESPN Sources: Suspended All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is nearing completion on the process needed for a return to play and could rejoin the Brooklyn Nets as soon as Sunday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies: es.pn/3X2vRC1
Irving averaged 26.9 points. 5.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in eight games. He scored just four points on 2-of-12 shooting in his final game before the suspension on November 1.
Surprisingly, the Nets have played better without Irving. They are 4-3 since Irving's suspension. They are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 6-9 record.
The Nets will look to build on their momentum when Irving returns to the team. They have the talent to win an NBA championship. But can they put it all together?