The only scary hours the Brooklyn Nets lived up to was being eliminated from the NBA playoffs scarily quickly. The Boston Celtics swept them, making them the only squad to be swept so far in the postseason. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving didn't live up to their potential in the series and now have to endure a shaky offseason.
The critical noise around Irving was surpassed only by the criticism of Ben Simmons, who didn't suit up for the Nets after targeting a return in the series against the Celtics. Irving lost to his former team in an embarrassing fashion and admitted that he became a distraction this season. Now, he is turning the tables on the criticism he received.
Irving said on Twitter that he does not get swept up in how those close to him are perceived in the media. He explained that the media is supposed to control public perception:
When I see my name or my brothers/sisters names getting spun through the media, I refer to all my research about who they are.
Their job is to CONTROL PUBLIC PERCEPTION, all while profiting off discussing, discrediting, and disrespecting people’s lives for entertainment.— Hélà (@KyrieIrving) April 28, 2022
Irving, who once referred to the media as pawns, invoked a new title: puppet masters. The analogy suggests the media has all the control over its consumers. The Nets star also said that his name is worth a lot to companies:
I send shots at the puppet masters, not the puppets. All puppets do is run around society, trying to gain popularity and state opinions. What a life! 🤷🏾♂️
My name is worth billions to these media corporations. My brothers and sisters who deal with this know exactly what I mean.
— Hélà (@KyrieIrving) April 28, 2022
Irving has the right to speak out about the media and fan perception of him. He does, however, give them a lot of ammunition to criticize him. The Nets star being outspoken has created a target on his back, no matter what he discusses.
The Nets are expected to bring back head coach Steve Nash with Durant and Irving next season. Kyrie has a player option and could become a free agent, but he's expected back. Brooklyn has the talent to win a title but has not yet come anywhere close to it.
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