Reports: Kyrie Irving’s suspension from Brooklyn Nets likely to be appealed by NBA Players Association
The Kyrie Irving drama continues as the Boston Globe reported that he will meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday. It was reported several days ago that the suspended Irving will have to comply with what the league requires of him before he can get back on the court.
Apparently, this caught the attention of the National Basketball Players Association. NBPA's vice-president Jaylen Brown expressed discomfort with the way the league is treating Kyrie Irving. Brown thinks that the requirements are too tall an order for Irving to accomplish just to lift his suspension. He also defended Irving:
“I don’t believe Kyrie Irving is antisemitic. I don’t think people in our governing bodies think he’s antisemitic. He made a mistake. We understand from an outside perspective how important sensitivity is to not condone hate speech and not condone anything of that nature. It’s sensitivity to the dialect around that."
Brown added:
"We don’t want to stand up for somebody in order to not condemn hate speech, but I don’t believe Kyrie Irving is antisemitic. Hopefully, the NBA feels the same way.”
After Irving's meeting with Silver, Brown predicted that the league's position on 'Uncle Drew's' future would become clearer. Hopefully, they do end up sorting things out for the better.
Is it game over for Kyrie Irving?
Numerous NBA general managers were asked by The Athletic if they would sign Kyrie Irving if the opportunity arose. Many seemed to be against the idea. One manager even went so far as to imply that Irving's conduct would prevent him from ever playing in the NBA again. They pointed out that Irving's situation was made more difficult by Nike terminating their contract with the player.
Irving has expressed regret for sharing the film so far. It is not yet known how many of the necessary actions he has taken. According to Marc Stein, the list of requirements was developed with the understanding that Irving is unlikely to accomplish all six, which could potentially result in a release by the franchise.
With that in mind, it seems like the league is deliberately trying to get rid of Kyrie Irving for good. Looking at it from a business standpoint, it's understandable why they want him out. For one, it would ruin the reputation of the NBA by keeping him around. Some people might get the impression that the organization is tolerating the kind of behavior Irving has displayed recently.
Even Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai is fed up with Irving's antics. He posted his sentiments on social media stating his disappointment in 'Uncle Drew.' The point guard's actions are bigger than basketball. Irving has offended many religious followers, including Tsai himself. Joe Tsai tweeted:
"I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion."
I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.
Kyrie Irving's situation right now is a total disaster. No one knows what the future holds for the Nets star anymore. Hopefully, everything will be clarified after he and Adam Silver get the chance to sit down and discuss things on Tuesday.