Nets Rumors

Nets Suspend Kyrie Irving At Least Five Games

November 3rd, 2022 at 6:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Nets have announced in a press statement (via Twitter) that they have suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games, without pay.

After Brooklyn’s starting point guard promoted a film peddling a variety of falsehoods that has widely been criticized as antisemitic on his personal Twitter account last week, pushback was decidedly muted at first. The NBA and NBPA both issued statements denouncing antisemitism broadly, without mentioning Irving by name (Irving is a vice president on the NBPA). Nets majority owner Joe Tsai expressed his disappointment with Irving, noting he would like to “sit down” with Irving to discuss why amplifying hateful media can be hurtful.

Irving then had a combative exchange with reporters, specifically Nick Friedell of ESPN, during a Saturday postgame presser, having left the offending tweet online. Irving ultimately relented, deleting the post on Sunday. The Nets subsequently opted to withhold Irving from further media interactions for the next several days, with team president Sean Marks claiming he wanted to let the seven-time All-Star “simmer down” before speaking with reporters further.

The Nets and Irving issued a joint statement with the Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday, in which both the point guard and his team pledged to donate $500K each to the ADL. Irving at no point in his comments issued a formal apology to the Jewish community. NBA commissioner Adam Silver criticized that statement today with a response of his own, like Tsai saying he intended to meet with Irving to discuss the hurtful content of the documentary and his lack of a full apology.

Today, during his first remarks to the press since the weekend, Irving still stopped short of actually formally apologizing, Friedell writes. “I take my responsibility for posting that,” Irving told gathered reporters. “Some things that were questionable in there, untrue. Like I said in the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don’t believe everything that everybody posts — it’s a documentary.”

Regarding the film’s lie that the Holocaust did not transpire, Irving did make a point of acknowledging that was inaccurate.

“Those falsehoods are unfortunate,” Irving allowed. “And it’s not that I don’t believe in the Holocaust. I never said that. Never, ever have said it. It’s not come out of my mouth. I never tweeted it. I never liked anything like it. So the Holocaust in itself is an event that means something to a large group of people that suffered something that could have been avoided.”

Friedell notes that reporters then inquired as to whether Irving himself possessed any antisemitic beliefs, and he somewhat danced around a direct response.

“I don’t know how the label becomes justified because you guys ask me the same questions over and over again,” Irving said. “But this is not going to turn into a spin-around cycle — questions upon questions.. I told you guys how I felt. I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life. That’s where I sit. … I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from.”

Despite Irving’s pledge to the ADL, sources inform Adam Zagoria of NJ.com that Irving has yet to actually meet with the ADL for a conversation. The ADL’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, responded to the Nets point guard’s Thursday remarks (Twitter links).

“The answer to the question ‘Do you have any antisemitic beliefs’ is always ‘NO’ without equivocation,” Greenblatt wrote in part. “We took @KyrieIrving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he did not make good on that promise. Kyrie clearly has a lot of work to do.”

That brings us to the present, and the Nets’ decision.

“Over the last several days, we have made repeated attempts to work with Kyrie Irving to help him understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, which began with him publicizing a film containing deeply disturbing antisemitic hate,” Brooklyn’s statement began. “We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity – but failed – to clarify.

“Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games.”

Greenblatt, meanwhile, issued a statement saying that the ADL will not accept Irving’s $500K donation since it’s clear he feels “no accountability for his actions” (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).

Irving is currently earning $36,503,300 for the 2022/23 season. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link), he will forfeit $251,747 for each game of his suspension — 1/145th of his total salary.

The open-ended nature of Brooklyn’s penalty suggests that the club may require some level of quantifiable contrition before Irving is allowed to return.

Ben Simmons Out At Least Two More Games With Knee Issue

November 3rd, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets guard Ben Simmons continues to deal with left knee soreness and swelling, and he won’t travel with the team for its next two road games, acting head coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters (Twitter link via ESPN’s Nick Friedell). The Nets face the Wizards on Friday followed by the Hornets on Saturday.

Simmons will have missed four consecutive games with the knee issue after Saturday’s contest. He has struggled to regain his prior form early on this season after missing the entire 2021/22 campaign for various reasons, including a lengthy holdout with Philadelphia, mental health issues, and a herniated disc in his back, which later required surgery.

Vaughn said that guard Seth Curry, who has been limited to one regular season game in ’22/23 after offseason ankle surgery, will play one of the two road games. Vaughn also provided an update on forward T.J. Warren, who is making progress but has yet to scrimmage with the team, as Alex Schiffer of The Athletic tweets.

Warren has appeared in just four games since 2020 after sustaining consecutive stress fractures in his left foot. It was anticipated that he wouldn’t return until November at earliest, so it’s hard to read too much into Vaughn’s statement beyond the fact that Warren almost certainly won’t play before practicing at least a couple times first.

Adam Silver Intends To Meet With Kyrie Irving In Person

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

NBA commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t appear satisfied with the steps Kyrie Irving has taken since publishing a social media post last week promoting an antisemitic film, issuing a statement today to announce that he intends to meet with the Nets star in person to discuss the situation.

“Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,” Silver said. “While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.

“I will be meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss this situation.”

After Irving posted a link to the film in question on Thursday, he faced increasing scrutiny in the days that followed and had a combative exchange with reporters on Saturday about the issue. He removed the post on Sunday and the Nets held him out of media sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Irving, the Nets, and the ADL issued a joint statement announcing that Kyrie and the Nets would each donate $500K “toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in our communities.”

Irving said in that statement that he opposes “all forms of hatred and oppression” and stands with marginalized communities, adding that he took responsibility for the impact his post had toward the Jewish community and didn’t believe everything in the film he publicized. However, as Silver’s announcement today notes, the Nets guard didn’t apologize for promoting the film or for the harm he caused the Jewish community.

There has been no indication in the last week that the Nets or the NBA intend to fine or suspend Irving for his actions, and today’s statement from Silver doesn’t suggest that will change. Still, it seems that the league isn’t prepared to sweep the issue under the rug so quickly.

Kyrie Irving, Nets, ADL Issue Joint Statement

November 2nd, 2022 at 6:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Kyrie Irving, the Nets and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have issued a joint statement (via Twitter) following Irving’s promotion of an antisemitic film last week.

According to the statement, Irving and the Nets will each donate $500K “toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in our communities.” Irving and the Nets will work the ADL, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate, in an “effort to develop educational programming that is inclusive and will comprehensively combat all forms of antisemitism and bigotry.”

“I oppose all forms of hatred and oppression and stand strong with communities that are marginalized and impacted every day,” said Irving. “I am aware of the negative impact of my post towards the Jewish community and I take responsibility. I do not believe everything said in the documentary was true or reflects my morals and principles. I am a human being learning from all walks of life and I intend to do so with an open mind and a willingness to listen. So from my family and I, we meant no harm to any one group, race or religion of people, and wish to only be a beacon of truth and light.”

“There is no room for antisemitism, racism, false narratives or misguided attempts to create animosity and hate,” said Sam Zussman, Chief Executive Officer of BSE Global, parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. “Now, more than ever, there is a pressing need to ensure education in these areas. We are putting our prior statements into practice because actions speak louder than words.”

“At a time when antisemitism has reached historic levels, we know the best way to fight the oldest hatred is to both confront it head-on and also to change hearts and minds. With this partnership, ADL will work with the Nets and Kyrie to open dialogue and increase understanding,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “At the same time, we will maintain our vigilance and call out the use of anti-Jewish stereotypes and tropes – whatever, whoever, or wherever the source – as we work toward a world without hate.”

As Fred Katz, Mike Vorkunov and Sam Amick of The Athletic observe (All Twitter links), while Irving claims to “take responsibility” for the “negative impact” of his Twitter post, which has since been deleted after a combative exchange with reporters over the weekend, it’s notable that he did not actually apologize to the Jewish community.

Both the NBA and NBPA previously issued fairly toothless statements condemning antisemitism in general terms without directly naming or rebuking Irving. General manager Sean Marks said the team wanted Irving to “simmer down” and not create more “fuss” as explanation for why Irving didn’t speak to the media on Monday or Tuesday, noting that Irving’s last media session “didn’t go well.”

Celtics Notes: Smart, Udoka, Mazzulla, R. Williams, G. Williams

November 2nd, 2022 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics guard Marcus Smart remains frustrated that he and his teammates don’t know the whole story about why head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022/23 season, and he was surprised to learn on Tuesday that Udoka might be headed to the Nets, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Smart said that he had been given the impression that Udoka would be back with the Celtics next season.

“I guess it was deemed that whatever happened was enough for him not to be the coach here, but I guess not enough for him (not) to be a coach anywhere else, obviously,” Smart told Himmelsbach. “… (Udoka’s) name got slandered and slaughtered and it was, ‘He’ll probably never coach again.’ And a couple of months later now he’s possibly going to be the coach of one of our biggest rivals? It’s tough. It makes no sense. But we can’t control that. We have to control what we can and I love the team here. I love the coaching staff. I love Joe (Mazzulla).”

Smart acknowledged that he recognizes why Celtics management can’t necessarily be fully open about the circumstances of Udoka’s suspension, but said that doesn’t make the situation any easier or any less confusing.

“It really doesn’t matter what we say (to the front office),” Smart said. “We can voice our opinion, but I’m sure it’s going to be, ‘Yeah, we hear you.’ And that’s it. I’m sure they know how certain people feel. But it is tough, because there’s only so much that they can say. It’s a tough spot for everybody. It just sucks all around.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

The Celtics’ brass is “fully invested” in Mazzulla and is happy with the work he has done as the head coach since replacing Udoka, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. That’s a key reason why the team seems comfortable moving on from Udoka.
Jared Weiss of The Athletic considers what’s next for the Celtics and Udoka if the team lets him leave for Brooklyn. As Weiss notes, the C’s would be able to get Udoka’s contract off their books and would no longer have to worry about what to do when his suspension ends, but the team would probably have to prepare some turnover on its coaching staff, especially if Mazzulla wants to bring in some of his own assistants.
The Celtics had the NBA’s top defense a year ago, but only rank 22nd so far this season. While that number should improve, Boston’s ceiling on defense is limited until Robert Williams returns, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “Without Rob Williams, they’re a very good team, but they’re in that second tier,” a source told Bulpett. “With Rob Williams, they’re a top defense and a championship level team. That’s what he does for them.”
Celtics forward Grant Williams sat down with Shams Charania of Stadium (video link) to discuss several topics, including not signing a rookie scale extension before the regular season began.

Nets Notes: Durant, Nash, Simmons, Irving, Udoka

November 2nd, 2022 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

Nets forward Kevin Durant said on Tuesday night that he was surprised to learn of Steve Nash‘s exit from his position as Brooklyn’s head coach, as Nick Friedell of ESPN writes.

“You’re always shocked when a move like this happens,” Durant said after the Nets’ loss to Chicago. “But it’s normal in the NBA. It’s about getting ready for the game tonight. It’s a quick turn always in the league, especially during the season. You’ve got practice, games coming up, so you can’t think too much about it. It was on my mind for a little bit today.”

As Friedell notes, Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters earlier in the day on Tuesday that he hadn’t consulted with Durant and/or Kyrie Irving before making the decision to part ways with Nash. Durant’s comments seemed to confirm that was true.

Asked why he felt like things didn’t work out with Nash in Brooklyn, Durant didn’t blame his former head coach for the team’s shortcomings, even though offseason reports indicated that he had pushed for Nash’s firing.

“We didn’t have a healthy team. We just didn’t play well,” Durant said. “And that’s what happens in the league. S–t happens. That doesn’t take away from Steve’s basketball IQ, how he teaches the game. I don’t think that takes away from anything. It just didn’t work out.”

Asked in Miami about Nash’s departure, Steve Kerr – one of the NBA’s longest-tenured head coaches – essentially agreed with Durant’s assessment, referring to Nash as “brilliant” and suggesting that the former MVP could thrive in a more “stable environment,” according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

“Erik’s got a (solid situation) here,” Kerr said, referring to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. “I’ve got one in Golden State. We’re really lucky. You throw either one of us in that situation, we wouldn’t have done any better than Steve. That’s the truth.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who previously reported that the Nets had briefly engaged in “cursory” trade talks with a Western Conference team, says those discussions were about a veteran shooter, adding that Ben Simmons‘ name came up. While Begley cautions that those talks may not have advanced beyond the exploratory stage, he says Brooklyn was rumored to be “aggressive” in its pursuit of shooting.
Like the NBA did on Saturday, the National Basketball Players Association issued a fairly toothless statement on Tuesday, condemning antisemitism in general terms without mentioning NBPA vice president Irving by name or specifically rebuking his promotion of an antisemitic film on social media.
During Tuesday’s TNT broadcast, broadcaster and former NBA star Reggie Miller called out the players’ response to the Irving situation, expressing dissatisfaction that there has been silence from players who haven’t hesitated to speak out on other social justice issues, writes Ryan Glasspiegel of The New York Post. “The players have dropped the ball on this case when it’s been one of their own. It’s been crickets,” Miller said after lauding the players’ criticism of owners like Donald Sterling and Robert Sarver. “And it’s disappointing, because this league has been built on the shoulders of the players being advocates. Right is right and wrong is wrong.”
If the Nets move forward with their reported plan to hire Ime Udoka as their new head coach, it could be another landmine for the franchise, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who notes that the full story on Udoka’s off-court conduct in Boston still hasn’t come out publicly. As Lewis relays, a league insider told NetsDaily that Udoka “repeatedly” sent inappropriate messages to women on the Celtics‘ staff.
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports makes the case that the best play for the dysfunctional Nets would be to trade Durant.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst passes along all of Sean Marks‘ noteworthy statements from his Tuesday media session, attempting to read between the lines of those comments.

New York Notes: Udoka, Durant, Irving, Marks, Rose, Hartenstein

November 1st, 2022 at 5:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

If you’re wondering what the Nets superstars think of Ime Udoka, whom the team plans to hire as its head coach, SNY.TV’s Ian Begley previously reported that Kevin Durant is a huge fan of Udoka, which is why Durant was interested in playing for the Celtics after making his trade demand this summer, SNY’s Danny Abriano relays. When Udoka was an assistant with the Nets, he had no qualms about challenging Durant and Kyrie Irving and they respected his blunt style.

We have more on the New York teams:

At least one executive interviewed by Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett’s believes Udoka will be walking into a “no-lose” situation. “Things look so bad there, no one’s going to blame a new coach if it doesn’t get fixed.” the executive said. “We’ll see what Ime can do, but that just isn’t working on any level right now. They’ve still got a ways to go to get where they need to be on a basketball level, but you have to wonder whether they’ll ever have the chance to see that through. Kyrie just always seems to find a way to take the air out of the balloon.”
Irving didn’t speak to the media on Tuesday and GM Sean Marks said he wants to let Irving “simmer down” and not create more “fuss” over his controversial social media posts and retweets, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets. Marks noted Irving’s last media session “didn’t go well.”
Marks said Durant and Irving had “zero input” on the mutual parting of ways between Steve Nash and the organization, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
Derrick Rose has only attempted three free throws in six games and his injury history could be the explanation, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. The Knicks point guard reworked his game to avoid contact, even when he drives into the lane. The thinking is the less he gets hit, the better, even if it means fewer trips to the line.
Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the Knicks‘ offseason free agent additions, has been “terrific” so far this season, head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Sunday, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “We knew he would be,” Thibodeau said. “He gives you rim protection. He can shoot, he can pass.” Hartenstein has played increased minutes in each of the team’s last two games due to Mitchell Robinson‘s foul trouble and has performed well, recording 12 points and nine rebounds on Sunday.

Nets Plan To Hire Ime Udoka As Head Coach

November 1st, 2022 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets intend to hire Ime Udoka to replace Steve Nash as their head coach, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Udoka is technically still the Celtics‘ head coach, but he has been suspended for the 2022/23 season after allegedly engaging in an improper relationship with a female subordinate. Boston granted Brooklyn permission to speak to Udoka and will allow him to leave freely, sources tell Charania.

In the wake of Nash’s departure from the franchise, Charania initially reported (via Twitter) that Udoka had emerged as the “strong frontrunner” for the Nets’ job, adding that the team was still doing its due diligence, but had begun talking to the Celtics’ coach. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN subsequently stated (via Twitter) that Brooklyn could hire Udoka within the next 24-to-48 hours.

A former assistant in San Antonio and Philadelphia, Udoka spent a season on the Nets’ staff under Nash in 2020/21 before being hired by the Celtics. Brooklyn’s hope, Wojnarowski tweets, is that Udoka will be able to tighten up the club’s defense and command the respect of the Nets’ stars, including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

According to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), the Nets have been vetting Udoka for the last few days, presumably gathering more information about his conduct that led to his suspension – and now his potential exit – from the Celtics.

Wojnarowski said several weeks ago that Udoka would face a “difficult pathway” back to his job with the Celtics after being replaced by this season by Joe Mazzulla. Wojnarowski’s report indicated that an independent investigation into Udoka’s conduct found that he used “crude language” toward the female subordinate prior to beginning an improper relationship with her, which was said to be a significant factor in the length of his suspension.

In his first season as a head coach, Udoka led the Celtics to a 51-31 record and a spot in the NBA Finals. Given his job performance on the court, the fact that Boston appears willing to let Udoka go to a division rival without any compensation speaks to how the team felt about his off-court behavior.

The Nets have been at the center of many of the NBA’s biggest stories in recent months, including Durant’s extended offseason trade saga, Irving’s promotion of an antisemitic film on social media, and Ben Simmons‘ struggle to recapture his All-Star form following a 16-month layoff. Hiring Udoka following his ugly exit from the Celtics figures to only add to the drama in Brooklyn.

Until Udoka’s hiring is official, Jacque Vaughn is reportedly expected to serve as the Nets’ interim head coach, starting on Tuesday night when the team hosts the Bulls.

Nets Notes: Irving, Simmons, Curry, Watanabe

November 1st, 2022 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who tweeted a link last Thursday to a film widely viewed as antisemitic, deleted that tweet on Sunday night after a combative exchange with reporters on Saturday, then didn’t speak to the media before or after Monday’s win over Indiana. Head coach Steve Nash said prior to Monday’s game that he views the controversy surrounding Irving as “an opportunity for us to grow and understand new perspectives,” according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.

“I think the organization is trying to take that stance where we can communicate through this,” Nash said. “And try to all come out in a better position and (have) both more understanding and more empathy for every side of this debate and situation.”

As Friedell writes, Nash declined to say whether the Nets considered any disciplinary action for Irving, telling reporters that he wasn’t involved in internal conversations about the issue, since he’s been focused on coaching the team.

While the Nets may want to simply move on from the situation, eight fans who sat courtside on Monday wore shirts that read “Fight Antisemitism” and directed comments at Irving during the game, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. One season-ticket holder, Aaron Jungreis, told Friedell that he thought the team should suspend Irving.

“I hope he realizes how much antisemitism he is stoking by putting out (a link to) a film like this,” Jungreis said. “Which is extremely anti-Jewish. And I hope he comes to his senses. … I think he should be suspended and he should understand what he did, but I don’t know if they will.”

Here’s more on Irving and the Nets:

Irving’s behavior, which could once be considered quirky or eccentric, has crossed the line to dangerous, argues Jesse Washington of Andscape, writing that the NBA and/or the Nets should seriously consider consequences to hold Irving accountable. Dan Wolken of USA Today and Eric Koreen of The Athletic make similar cases in columns of their own, while Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post goes a step further, opining that Brooklyn should part ways with the standout guard. Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, meanwhile, contends that Irving wants the influence of leadership, but none of the responsibility that comes along with it.
The Nets held a players-only meeting following Saturday’s loss to Indiana and followed that up with a win on Monday over the Pacers, snapping a four-game losing streak. “Honestly, talk is cheap. Everybody in the organization, we’ve just been pissed off,” starting center Nic Claxton said after Monday’s victory, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “We want to be better. So I don’t know (if the meeting had an impact). But everybody being on the same page today, that’s what matters.”
Within the same SNY.tv story, Begley says the Nets have had some “cursory” trade talks with at least one Western Conference team since the regular season began, underscoring the sense of urgency the team was feeling to start winning games following a slow start.
In a detailed story for ESPN, Friedell takes a look at how the Nets have yo-yo’d back and forth from a tumultuous offseason to an optimistic preseason to a bumpy, drama-filled regular season.
Ben Simmons will miss a second consecutive game for Brooklyn on Tuesday vs. Chicago due to left knee soreness, the team announced today (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape). Seth Curry (left ankle injury management) also remains sidelined.
Yuta Watanabe‘s full-season salary is still non-guaranteed, but he’s seeing an increased role as of late off the bench for the Nets, knocking down 5-of-7 three-pointers in his last four games. “We’ve always really liked him,” Nash said of Watanabe, who played 22 minutes in Monday’s win (link via Alex Schiffer of The Athletic). “He’s a basketball player. The way he handles the pass, makes shots and he’s a smart defender. I thought he did a good job with the scouting report. You could see him use that to his advantage in one-on-one situations, and he adds dimension to our team as we’re trying to get bodies back in the lineup. It’s really important to have players like that who step in and do multiple things.”

Seth Curry Sits Out For Injury Management

October 31st, 2022 at 6:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Guard Seth Curry isn’t playing in the Nets’ game against Indiana on Monday due to left ankle injury management, the team tweets. Ben Simmons is also sidelined due to left knee soreness, ESPN’s Marc Spears tweets.

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