Kyrie Irving will not play Sunday vs. Lakers, 'still has work to do,' Nets owner Joe Tsai says
Nets guard Kyrie Irving against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 24 in Memphis. Credit: AP/Brandon Dill
LOS ANGELES — Kyrie Irving “still has work to do” before he returns to the court, Nets owner Joe Tsai said Saturday.
Tsai, who was here at the Nets-Clippers game with his family, delivered this news when he was asked by a New York Post reporter at halftime of Nets' 110-95 win over the Clippers, if Irving would rejoin the team on this West Coast Road trip. Tsai and his wife, Clara, met the suspended guard on Thursday.
Earlier Saturday, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters in his pregame news conference that he had been given no timetable for the return of his suspended guard but had been informed that he would “not be available for tomorrow.”
The Nets suspended Irving for a minimum five games without pay on Nov. 3 after he linked to an antisemitic film on his Instagram and Twitter accounts on Oct. 27. Tsai Saturday’s game against the Clippers was the fifth game that the team has been without their guard, so in theory the Lakers game was the first in which he would be eligible to return.
The Nets have laid out a multi-step plan that Irving needs 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 Tsai.
Irving apologized online several hours after the posting and met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday. On Friday, Tsai tweeted that he and his wife had meet with Irving.
“It’s clear to me that Kyrie does not have any beliefs of hate towards Jewish people or any group,” Tsai tweeted. Tsai then said the Nets, Kyrie, the NBA and the NBA players union were “working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education.”
Vaughn found that news encouraging.
“The good thing is Joe put out that statement yesterday that shows where the collaboration or alignment is right now,” Vaughn said.
Saturday’s game was the first of a four-game West Coast trip. It’s still possible that Irving could join the team in Sacramento for Tuesday’s game or in Portland Thursday. A more likely scenario is that Irving would return Sunday for the Nets game against Memphis at the Barclays Center.
Kevin Durant said he has been in touch with Irving and he is looking forward to getting back on the court.
“Yeah, his spirits is high, looking forward to playing the game," Durant said. "You know Ky. He’s a gamer. He loves to play. So hopefully all this stuff is over with and we can move past it and get him back on the floor.”
The Nets (6-7) have played their best basketball of the season during Irving’s suspension, going 4-1 in his absence. Still, Irving is a seven-time All-Star and can bring a lot to any team, said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who coached Irving for two seasons, including a championship season, in Cleveland.
“For me, he made my job a lot easier I’ll tell you that,” Lue said Saturday. “Just put the basketball in his hands he can make any play as a basketball player. And I've always said offensively, he has no weaknesses. He can score the basketball, he can pass it, finish both hands, can post, midrange, three-point, off the dribble, he can do it all. So just a special talent; so it made my job a lot easier for sure.”
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.
