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Kyrie Irving spoke to reporters on Tuesday, two weeks after his last game, four days after the NBA fined him $ 50,000 for violating his health and safety protocols and 24 hours before he returned to a formation which will be decidedly different from that of the left.
Over 12 minutes on a Zoom call, Irving said very little.
But by saying little, he said a lot.
Irving was not interested in publicly explaining his absence. “A lot of family and personal things are going on,” Irving said. He was not inclined to address his breach of league protocols, which came to light after a video of an Irving without a mask was released at a family birthday party. “Glad to be back,” Irving unmoved. When asked if he was okay, Irving, his body slumped forward in his seat, arms crossed, chin resting on his forearms, simply nodded.
Irving has no obligation to publicly explain anything, of course. He said he addressed his teammates, some individually, and was ready to move on. These teammates were supportive. Steve Nash has expressed his enthusiasm for Irving’s return. The arrival of James Harden has given Brooklyn a true Big Three – if Irving is committed to being a part of it.
Irving is back, but if there’s one thing to take away from Irving’s media availability, it’s that whatever took him away from the team still hangs over him. Irving has always been eccentric, the controversies he got involved in (Flat Earth, subtle digs at former teammate LeBron James, etc.) often self-inflicted. This, however, looks different. Following the high profile murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Irving embraced the growing social justice movement. Last June, Irving was among the loudest voices urging players to consider boycotting the takeover of the NBA. Irving’s last game was Jan.5e. A day later, violent national terrorists attacked the United States Capitol.
Irving said he had to create a “separation” between the current political climate and playing in the NBA.
He also said the events of the past few months were “hard to ignore”.
“I would be lying sitting here saying I don’t feel what’s going on in the world and don’t pay attention,” Irving said. “I just have a huge responsibility, I think, to continue to serve my community and the underserved. And when I play here it just keeps letting these guys know and engaging in something, like I always say, bigger than us.
Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports
There could be another problem. The Nets are a better team than the one Irving left behind. Harden was brilliant in his first two games in Brooklyn. He racked up a 30-point triple double on his debut for the Nets. He followed with an effort of 34 points and 12 assists in a narrow victory over Milwaukee. His reunion with Durant, a former Oklahoma City teammate, seemed harmonious.
Irving should be thrilled to join a team with this kind of firepower. And maybe he is. But it’s Irving. He forced a trade out of Cleveland just a year after winning a championship. He locked down Boston months after publicly proclaiming he was returning. In 2019 Irving, in control of his future for the first time, chose Brooklyn, chose Durant, chose to hunt a championship in his home market with his closest friend.
He didn’t choose to do anything with Harden. When asked about the addition of Harden, Irving’s response felt measured. “It’s really exciting to be able to play with some great players who have been here in the league for a while,” said Irving. “I’ve been through ups and downs, peaks and valleys. James is aligned with us in terms of experience. Adding that to our locker rooms will be great for us. “
Sound like a player keen on having another Big Three experience?
“When things get overwhelming in life, you just have to take a step back and realize what’s important,” Irving said. “And I love to play – that was never a question. I got involved, when it wasn’t it’s even a thing for me.
Irving’s membership is essential to Brooklyn’s success. The Nets are far from perfect. The trade, coupled with the loss of Spencer Dinwiddie to an ACL injury, robbed the team of depth. The already fragile defense is worse. DeAndre Jordan and Jeff Green have a lot of responsibilities. Harden’s early play is promising. He has shown a willingness to be a playmaker, important for a team that will have to share the ball.
But will Irving embrace a role that takes him further off the ball?
Will Irving, who signed to play with Durant, be willing to sacrifice his offense more to play with Harden?
“Very excited,” Irving said, sounding anything but.
Irving is not a bad guy. He paid the school fees for the children of his old high school, The Patrick School. He literally provided money to keep the school from closing. He renovated the gym, locker rooms and weight room. On Tuesday, Irving confirmed he was involved in buying a house for the family of Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last May. He’s not looking for credit – Floyd’s story only surfaced after Stephen Jackson, a close friend of Floyd’s, revealed it on a podcast.
But Irving is complicated. He enjoys playing basketball, but doesn’t care about some of the responsibilities that come with it. He wants to win, but only seems to want to do so on his own terms. He can be a part of something special in Brooklyn, a championship team that can rack up titles for years to come. Or he may decide that this situation is not for him and be part of the reason it is happening.
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