Kyrie Irving found himself in hot water this week after promoting a book many believe to be antisemitic.
The Brooklyn Nets star would then on to double down on his actions in a contentious and heated press conference with the media on Saturday.
Kyrie Irving going back and forth with @NickFriedell during the Nets postgame presser 😳#NBATwitter #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/Mn2dSsirSN
— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) October 30, 2022
After a drama-filled year and subsequent summer, many were hoping Irving would return to basketball this year with a newfound focus. In the process, there was optimism that the Nets could compete for a title.
Six games into 2022-23 and Brooklyn is already 1-5.
On Saturday, Irving’s teammate Kevin Durant was asked whether Irving was a distraction for the team.
“Absolutely not,” Durant replied.
“It only impacted you guys and everybody outside the locker room.”
Kevin Durant: “We lost four games in a row? I must be excited about that? Of course, we’re PISSED. We enjoy basketball. We like to win, though. Of course, when we lose the game it’s going to be a somber mood in the locker room.” pic.twitter.com/9FqXO6NSLi
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) October 30, 2022
That said, Durant did acknowledge that the team was tired of losing.
“We lost four games in a row?” he said.
“I must be excited about that? Of course, we’re pissed. We enjoy basketball. We like to win, though. Of course, when we lose the game it’s going to be a somber mood in the locker room.”
The Nets are down bad right now. Rappers are threatening their players with bodily harm. Durant is already showing his frustration.
It’s an ugly scene all the way around.
The photos speak for themselves. https://t.co/RvN4QaNj7n
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 29, 2022
Obviously the season is still young and anything can happen. But this is an awful start for a franchise some thought could compete for a championship.
Will Brooklyn be able to turn things around at some point in the foreseeable future?
Time will tell.
Related: New Troubling Josh Primo Details Emerge After Spurs Release
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
