Kyrie Irving could return to Nets on Sunday, report says
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during a break in the action during the fourth quarter of the game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on October 31, 2022 in New York City. Credit: Getty Images/Dustin Satloff
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Nets' game here Thursday will be the team’s eighth straight without suspended All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, and it could also be their last.
Irving could be back on the floor with his teammates this Sunday when they host the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center. Irving is listed out for Thursday’s game against the Trail Blazers on the team’s injury report.
The Nets suspended Irving for a minimum of five games without pay on Nov. 4 after he linked to an antisemitic film on his Instagram and Twitter accounts on Oct. 27.
Between the posting and the suspension, Irving held two news conferences during which he declined to apologize or say whether he was antisemitic. Hours after the Nets announced his suspension, Irving issued an apology on social media.
As part of the suspension, the Nets also laid out a multi-step plan that Irving needed to complete before returning to the team. Those steps reportedly include apologizing, making a $500,000 donation to anti-hate causes, attending sensitivity training, attending antisemitic training, meeting with local Jewish leaders and meeting with team owner Joe Tsai.
Tsai and NBA commissioner Adam Silver have both met with Irving and issued statements via Twitter that they don’t believe he is antisemitic.
The Nets, who are 4-3 since the suspension, did not practice Wednesday. On Tuesday, coach Jacque Vaughn said he is just taking it one game at a time and coaching the players he has available.
“I think, overall, he’s in constant communication with the league and Joe Tsai and will fill me in on a kinda need basis,” Vaughn said of GM Sean Marks. “I checked in with him today. Told him shootaround was great. Ready to coach this group tonight. And that’s kinda where we leave it. He tells me when he has an update he will let me know.”
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
