Kyrie Irving is currently in the middle of serving a 5-game suspension from the Brooklyn Nets after he refused to take accountability for retweeting a link to a video with antisemitic material in it.
However, on top of that suspension, Irving is being required by Nets’ owner Joe Tsai to do a number of things before he can return to the team and play again. That includes the following outlined by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Sources: Nets have delivered Kyrie Irving six items he must complete to return to team:
– Apologize/condemn movie
– $500K donation to anti-hate causes
– Sensitivity training
– Antisemitic training
– Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders
– Meet with Joe Tsai to demonstrate understanding— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 6, 2022
After he fulfills all of those requirements, he can return to play. There are players around the league who think that is far too much for Irving, who has since apologized. Players are starting to push back against the requests.
LeBron James — maybe the most powerful voice in the NBA — just became one of them.
James called Irving’s requirements “excessive” and said he’s “not the person that’s being portrayed of him.”
💭 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
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 10, 2022
the floor I think is excessive IMO. He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him. Anyways back to my rehab session.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 10, 2022
“I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hateful information. And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apoligized 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 being portrayed of him. Anyways back to my rehab session.”
James isn’t alone here in thinking this. Jaylen Brown, specifically, said he expects the NBA Player’s Association to challenge the stipulations Irving is facing sometime soon.
It remains to be seen whether that will happen. We’ve yet to hear anything official from the Player’s Association except a blanket statement disavowing antisemitism that didn’t mention Irving’s name.
But one thing seems certain — this story isn’t ending here and it’s not ending anytime soon.
Watch our sneaker unboxing series, Special Delivery