LeBron James tweets about Kyrie Irving situation, says Nets’ exorbitant demands are affecting Brooklyn guard's image: “Help him learn- but he should be playing”
Kyrie Irving has continued to make headlines in recent weeks after being accused of antisemitism. Irving is currently suspended by the Brooklyn Nets until he completes a list of tasks.
Reports emerged this week that the NBA Players Association (NBAPA) was planning to appeal Irving's suspension. In the words of NBAPA Vice President Jaylen Brown, a lot of players felt as though the steps Irving had to take in order to have his suspension lifted were excessive.
Although LeBron James has been silent on the matter so far, he took to Twitter on Thursday to weigh in on the situation. James wrote:
"I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information. And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play. That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn- but he should be playing.
"What he’s asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive IMO. He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him. Anyways back to my rehab session."
I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information. And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play. That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn- but he should be playing. What he’s asked to do to get back on💭 I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information. And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play. That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn- but he should be playing. What he’s asked to do to get back on
the floor I think is excessive IMO. He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him. Anyways back to my rehab session.
What did Kyrie Irving do to get suspended?
Kyrie Irving invited a lot of criticism earlier this season when he shared a clip from a movie on Twitter. Considering the movie included inaccurate information claiming the Holocaust was fake, there was immediate backlash. Rather than apologize and backtrack, Irving then got into an argument with ESPN reporter Nick Friedell.
During the back-and-forth, the point guard questioned why his reposting of the video meant he automatically agreed with the content. He also asked why it meant that he was "promoting" the video, a term he seemed to take offense to.
After walking out of the press conference, the team ultimately put a gag order on him. Irving was not allowed to participate in the team's media activities in the following days. Later that week, during his first media scrum after the argument, Irving carefully tip-toed around an apology while taking responsibility for the post.
The scrum did more harm than good, as the self-proclaimed "beacon of light" questioned where reporters were with their questions during his childhood. Several minutes after speaking, a Nets staff member ushered Irving away.
Given that Irving didn't apologize, the franchise made the decision to suspend him for a minimum of five games without pay. At the same time, Irving had to complete a six-step checklist in order to be eligible to return to the court. The list includes meetings with Jewish leaders and Nets owner Joe Tsai, as well as mandatory antisemitic training.
When will Kyrie Irving return?
As things stand, Irving is still suspended from all Brooklyn Nets activities. There has been speculation that the team intentionally created a list they knew Irving wouldn't complete in order to have a cause to release him.
Despite that, the embattled star reportedly had a productive meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently. According to reports, the meeting opened the door to Irving completing the necessary steps to rejoin the team.
While his minimum five-game suspension is nearly up, it remains to be seen whether the team will be willing to welcome Kyrie Irving back.