Nets

Kyrie Irving’s Nets Suspension Extending to Seven Games

November 14, 2022

Nets point guard Kyrie Irving remains listed as out for Tuesday’s road game vs. the Kings, extending his team-administered suspension to seven games.

His next opportunity to return will come Thursday, when the Nets wrap up their Western swing with a visit to the Trail Blazers.

The Nets announced last week that Irving would be suspended for at least five.

Irving has since met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (full post) and Nets owner Joe Tsai, following a ban for sharing a link to an antisemitic film.

Irving reportedly must complete a process that consists of the following steps before the Nets consider permitting him to return:

Issue a verbal apology and condemn the antisemitic film he shared.
Share that apology on social media.
Complete sensitivity training.
Meet with Jewish leaders in the Brooklyn community.
Meet with Tsai.
Make a $500,000 donation to anti-hate causes.

It is not known how many of those steps Irving has complete. Silver would only say that the Nets will determine when Irving can play again “in consultation with the league,” via Sopan Deb of the New York Times.

There’s a chance that the Nets may not want to bring Irving back for a road game, given what is sure to be an intense reaction from opposing fans.

Meanwhile, the players union last week said it expected a resolution on Irving’s return to action soon.

“I personally, based on what he said directly to me, have no doubt that he’s not antisemitic, but I think there’s a process that he’s going to now need to go through,” Silver said, via Deb. “I think he understands that and incidentally, it’s now with the Nets who are working with specifics.”

Silver addressed the backlash to Irving’s stiff penalty by indicating he supported the Nets.

“I feel that we got to the right outcome here in terms of his suspension,” Silver said, via Deb. “And in retrospect, we may have been able to get there faster. I accept that criticism. But I felt it was important to understand the context in which it was posted to understand what discipline was appropriate, not in any way to excuse it but to understand what discipline was appropriate.”