Kendrick Perkins on why the Nets should tell Kyrie Irving to sit out the season
Kyrie Irving’s future with the Brooklyn Nets remains uncertain following his indefinite suspension following Irving’s decision to promote an antisemitic film.
Irving is expected to meet with NBA commissioner Adam Silver as early as Tuesday to discuss the situation, and the Nets have reportedly delivered to Irving a set of six tasks to accomplish before a return is considered, including sensitivity training and meetings with Jewish leaders.
Even if Irving is willing to fulfill the Nets’ conditions, should the team bring him back in what is expected to be his final year in Brooklyn? In a discussion on First Take, Kendrick Perkins argued that the volatility of the situation means that Irving’s presence could lead to adverse outcomes for his own teammates, and that allowing him to return to the locker room could negatively impact their careers.
“If I’m the Brooklyn Nets, I can’t bring Kyrie back into that locker room. We just heard Kevin Durant speak on the camaraderie, guys come together basically in fellowship. The locker room and the basketball [court] is the guys’ sanctuary. This is when they come together. This is their livelihood.
…. I’m not taking anything away from Kyrie Irving, we know he’s a spectacular basketball player. But as we have known over the last couple weeks, this situation at hand is bigger than the game of basketball. It’s bigger than that. So if I’m the Brooklyn Nets, I politely tell Kyrie Irving ‘hey man, just sit it out, do whatever you’ve got to do… and let us just rock out the rest of the season.’
Are the Brooklyn Nets going to win the championship? No. But are they going to be OK in the future? Probably so. But still, you cannot put those other guys in that locker room in harm’s way.”
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