NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has “no doubt” that suspended Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving is not antisemitic, he said at a conference on Thursday, while LeBron James took to Twitter to defend his former teammate whose status with the Nets remains a mystery.
Those developments followed Nike co-founder Phil Knight telling CNBC, in an interview that aired earlier Thursday, that the relationship between the shoe giant and Irving is likely severed for good.
Silver met with Irving earlier this week, and he told attendees at the Sports Business Journal Dealmakers Conference in Washington that he came away from that conversation believing the situation is “incredibly unfortunate.”
“I personally, based on what he said directly to me, have no doubt that he’s not antisemitic,” Silver said. “But I think there’s a process that he’s going to now need to go through.”
That process – and when the Nets lift his suspension — hinges in part on how Irving satisfies a number of team-imposed return-to-play mandates, one of which was completed when he met with Silver earlier this week. There are several others, and the mandates have raised eyebrows of both the National Basketball Players Association – the union on which Irving holds an executive board seat – and James, among others.
“I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information,” James posted on Twitter, echoing comments he made after a Los Angeles Lakers game last week. “And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play. That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn- but he should be playing. What he’s asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive (in my opinion). He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him.”
Irving’s suspension with the Nets will last at least five games. He’s already missed four, and in theory could return Sunday when Brooklyn visits the Lakers. It’s unclear when the Nets will reinstate him.
Nets General Manager Sean Marks said Wednesday he had not spoken with Irving during his suspension.
“At the appropriate time, when we do talk and if there’s an update to share, I will certainly share it,” Marks said.
Silver told The New York Times on Thursday that he’s never known Irving to use antisemitic or hate speech, but added, “Whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.”
The content was a since-deleted tweet posted by Irving last month with a link to a documentary called, “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” which includes Holocaust denial and conspiracy theories about Jews. In a contentious postgame interview session a couple days later, Irving defended his right to post what he wants.
The fallout was massive: Irving was criticized by Silver and several anti-hate groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, the Nets eventually suspended Irving, and then Nike announced last Friday that it “suspended” its relationship with Irving and canceled its plans to release his next signature shoe.
“I would doubt that we go back,” co-founder Phil Knight said in the CNBC interview that aired Thursday. “But I don’t know for sure.”
Irving signed with Nike in 2011 and had a signature line of shoes since 2014, with his annual endorsement deal believed to be worth at least $11 million.
“Kyrie stepped over the line,” Knight said. “It’s kind of that simple. He made some statements that we just can’t abide by and that’s why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that.”
The Nets said they decided to suspend Irving in part because he “refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.” Nike evidently also tried to get Irving to clarify or apologize.
“Same situation. He was dug in,” Knight said.
Irving eventually made an Instagram post after the Nets announced their decision to suspend him, writing in part, “To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize.”
A day later, Nike suspended its Irving relationship.
Irving has also been criticized by several anti-hate groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, as well as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Irving and Silver met earlier this week in New York to discuss the situation, one of many conditions the Nets wanted Irving to complete before they will reinstate him.
A small group of protesters were outside of Barclays Center before the team played the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, saying Irving has been treated unfairly by the team and others for speaking his mind.
“We look at who we sign and how much we pay and we look not only at how good the athlete is but what his or her character are,” Knight said. “It’s not an exact science, but it’s a process that we go through with a lot of intensity and with a lot of people sticking their hand in it.”
LAKERS: LeBron James will miss at least one game after straining a muscle in his leg during the Lakers’ fourth straight loss on Wednesday night.
An MRI exam on James revealed no tears in his adductor muscle, Lakers Coach Darvin Ham said.
The Lakers host Sacramento on Friday before the Brooklyn Nets visit on Sunday. Los Angeles has the following four days off, which means James could get eight consecutive days of rest while missing only two games.
James said after the game that the injury wasn’t as significant as his groin strain on Christmas 2018 during his first season with the Lakers. That injury sidelined him for a month.
James is the Lakers’ leading scorer at 24.9 points per game despite persistent pain in his left foot that forced him to miss a loss to Utah on Monday. James is also contributing 8.8 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game in his 20th NBA season.
Despite James’ strong play, the Lakers have the NBA’s second-worst record at 2-9.
GRIZZLIES: The NBA fined Memphis guard Desmond Bane $15,000 for kicking a ball into the stands during the fourth quarter of a 109-106 loss to Boston on Monday.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
WIZARDS 113, MAVERICKS 105: Kyle Kuzma scored 36 points, and Washington overcame the absence of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis to beat visiting Dallas.
Rui Hachimura added 23 points for Washington, which was missing Beal because of health and safety protocols and Porzingis because of a left groin strain. The Wizards fell behind 22-8 but quickly rallied and eventually pulled away, thanks to a trio of 3-pointers by Kuzma early in the fourth.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who went to Dallas in the trade that sent Porzingis to Washington, led the Mavericks with 33 points, and Luka Doncic contributed 22. The Mavericks have lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak.
HAWKS 104, 76ERS 95: Trae Young scored 26 points, Clint Capela added 18 points with 20 rebounds, and Atlanta pulled away late in the third quarter to beat visiting Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 26 points and 13 rebounds.
HEAT 117, HORNETS 112: Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, and Miami wasted a 15-point lead before rallying to beat visiting Charlotte in overtime, sending the Hornets to a seventh consecutive loss.
Butler also had 10 rebounds and eight assists. Bam Adebayo scored 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Max Strus and Gabe Vincent each scored 12 points for the Heat.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 29 points for Charlotte.
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