This afternoon’s game was the fifth that Kyrie Irving has missed since his suspension began, but Nets owner Joe Tsai told Brian Lewis of The New York Post that Irving “still has work to do” before he can resume playing. Irving is suspended indefinitely, but the team specified that he would miss at least five games when the penalty was announced. He has been given a list of six conditions that he must meet before reinstatement will be considered.
“He has to show people that he’s sorry,” Tsai said. “What’s important — and what people miss — is he only apologized after he was suspended.”
Head coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters that he hasn’t been given an estimate of when Irving might return, other than saying that he won’t play in Sunday’s game against the Lakers. Irving has started to fulfill the requirements set by the Nets, including separate meetings this week with Tsai and with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
There’s more on the Nets:
- Brooklyn has won four of its five games with Irving suspended as Vaughn has instilled a more aggressive attitude in the team since replacing Steve Nash, Lewis adds. Vaughn compares his philosophy to a boxer throwing the first punch and believes it’s sustainable once Irving returns. “For this group, we have to be that way,” Vaughn said. “A big part of that is you see the different lineups. We play small at times. We’ve had Kevin (Durant), we’ve had Yuta (Watanabe), we’ve had Markieff (Morris) at center at times. So in order to do that you have to be scrappy and understand it won’t look pretty all the time. But the results are what matter.”
- Speaking to reporters after today’s game, Durant said Irving is handling the suspension well, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. “His spirits is high,” Durant said. “Looking forward to playing the game, you know Ky, he’s a gamer, he loves to play. So hopefully all this stuff is over with, we can move past it, and get him back on the floor soon.”
- The players are rallying around Vaughn after his official hiring was preceded by several days of rumors that Ime Udoka would be the next head coach, Lewis states in a separate story. “Yeah, you just never know in this business,” Nic Claxton said. “We all heard reports that we were supposed to be getting Ime within the next couple of days. But we’re excited that JV is our coach. He’s a really good coach. He’s inspiring and I’m ready to get things going.”
What a dumpster fire the Nets became
“His spirits is high”
What a dope.
“What’s important — and what people miss — is he only apologized after he was suspended.”
Not a single person has missed that
Of course Kyrie isn’t really sorry
You’d be surprised. More than enough folks willingly missed that fact because cAnCel CuLtUrE BaD.
Joe Tsai is the heavy in Brooklyn that brow beats out of line players? Joe Tsai is having a meeting with 3 attorney’s, an agent, and Kyrie Irving is more like it
Brooklyn have looked much better without Nash or Kyrie. Won 4 of their last 5 and the role players have stepped it up
#LetKyriePlay
Joe Tsai is basically getting revenge on Kyrie because every year, Kyrie does something where he either wont/can’t play. 2019 Kyrie didnt want to play because KD was out all year so he had “shoulder surgery”, 2020 he took off atleast 20 games due to the capital “riots” + to celebrate his birthday + George Floyd, 2021 he stayed out more than 75% of the season due to not wanting the vacine even though he was the one that gathered everyone to go to the Nets in the first place, and now I think this incident is the nail in the coffin. I don’t blame Tsai at all. Hes tired of signing these guys to millions and then the players take off almost every game (Kyrie) or they dont want to play for them (KD, Simmons, Harden). Its no secret why Wanatabe is on this team, hard working kid that Tsai can relate to. Hes finally starting to run the team his way instead of letting the players run it
If Joe Tsai has one word of advice that would be helpful in a basketball sense, I would be very surprised. Probably can follow orders from his CCP financiers pretty effectively though. If those orders are to cut Irvings head off, then that is what he’ll do. Its business. Evaluating talent is a stretch for me to attribute to Tsai. I guess everyone can find a bargain, but talent evaluation is not a part of Tsai’s skill-set in my opinion, and a disaster for Brooklyn’s future if that is taking place
I do blame Tsai because Irving has been this way his whole career. None of this is new or surprising. Nets knew what they were doing.
So KD wants him back. Which means no more titles for his legacy, which will forever be that of a supremely talented bus rider.
You know Ky, he loves to play?!
I can’t think of a guy in the NBA right now who is healthy and doesn’t want to play more than Kyrie. Kev, have you been abreast of his games played and reasons for missing the ones he hasn’t the last five years.
I mean, he’s actually been cleared by the Nets to play today but has decided not to. He doesn’t want to miss the season premiere of Yellowstone tonight!
By the time this is over Kyrie will be a Rabbi.
So how long and how many times. Have we heard “Ky will back soon” and “we can get by this”. Seems this has been the saying every yr with Kyrie.
Westbrook and the two picks >> for Kyrie
Kyrie’s days in Bklyn are over. It’s never going to get better with the fans or media. Nets should move on and away from the AirHead.
KD needs to show real leadership. And show he’s got real ones. He knows how to play with Russ. Ben in shape and Russ running the point. Can work in Bklyn just like it did in OKC. KD can finally show up Bron. And he can finally take credit. For truly building and a team and sacrificing for its success. It’s a win win for everyone. NY loves a comeback story. And Russ gm is built for NY.
Plus with the picks. It helps Nets recoup all they gave up for Harden.