I find it hard to believe Kyrie retires — he’s still collecting game checks for every road game, and turning down $16.7 million that you’re getting paid to not play basketball seems insane. Though you can’t rule anything out with Kyrie, so maybe it’s more plausible than I’m guessing.
My first thought when I saw the statement from the Nets was that Brooklyn might add Kyrie to the suspension list, which would free up a roster slot, as you mentioned. But it seems like they’re going to continue to just pay him for road games & not take any disciplinary action (presumably because suspending him might get the Nets in hot water with the players association). Still keeping my fingers crossed that a roster spot opens up somewhere for Justin Anderson, and perhaps Mike Scott as well.
No they changed it. He’s not playing at all now. Until he’s vaccinated. Before it was set up to be road games only. Marks/Harden/Durant putting the foot down.
I don’t claim to know much here, and Lord knows Kyrie is an odd bird, so this is mostly spitballing, but my guess is this move is meant to pressure him to get the shot and then just move on from this mishigas. The decision by NYC to allow him to practice seemed to give him an opening to think (I’m assuming) that he could steer a middle path through all this (or at least keep the option open), but I think this is the Nets trying to exert whatever leverage they have. There’s an econ term for all this brinksmanship that I can’t remember, but it’s basically like when cable networks (e.g., ESPN) negotiate with the providers (e.g., Comcast). Nobody wants to go dark, but there is not necessarily equal bargaining power.
I think Kyrie isn’t playing any games for the team until this situation is resolved (a.k.a. Kyrie gets vaccinated) but they’re still paying him for road games & they aren’t fining him for practices missed.
And to what haney said, yeah this really feels like the last real bit of leverage the Nets have to convince Kyrie to get the shot. If KD, Harden, Steve Nash, and Nets ownership can’t get him to budge, though, it doesn’t feel like there’s much else the team can do. What a weird, weird situation. I really doubt we ever see anything like this again in pro sports.
Got it. I just despise Kyrie lol. Does good things for the native american community but otherwise an ass hole/pseudointellectual who thinks he is on a plane beyond human existence when he’s really just a clown propped up by Lebron’s tenure in Cleveland
That story in Rolling Stone about him going onto the Native American reservation and refusing to follow the mask policy when he visited a school… man. Kyrie has done some really good things for his community. But some of the pseudointellectual nonsense is just indefensible.
Howard Bryant got a great quote about him that just about sums it up: “A prominent NBAer just texted me that Kyrie Irving is a “contrarian without a cause.”
Don’t think so. I believe E10 is basically training camp invite and allows a team to control G-League rights. Believe this just formally gets Jay off the NBA or 2-way roster. Would expect him to be a Go-Go.
This is correct. Actually, the Sixers did exactly this with Key — they signed him to an E10 and then waived him so they can get him back with the Blue Coats this year.
For those wondering KG remains in training camp with Cleveland. Has yet to play. Cleveland still has both 2-way roster spots open. KG, Tacko Fall, Ruben Nembhard, and late training camp signee Justin James seem to all be in play.