Nets star Kyrie Irving will finally return to the hardwood on Wednesday against the Cavs. After addressing his absence on Tuesday, there could be another additional reason that Irving sat out for a prolonged period of time.
Per SportsNet New York's Ian Begley, it goes a lot deeper than Kyrie simply just dealing with personal and family issues.
As an aside, I’m not going to try to guess as to why Irving left the club prior to their Jan. 7 game against the Sixers. Various reports have stated that he was upset over the riots at the Capitol Building on Jan. 6. However, those familiar with Irving’s thinking said that the news that the Kenosha police officer who shot Jacob Blake won't be facing any criminal charges factored into his absence. That event, more so than the riots at the Capitol Building, contributed to Irving being away from the club, those people say.
There were reports that the former Celtics standout was unhappy with the Capitol Building riots, but there's also a firm belief Irving was furious that Jacob Blake's shooter got off free and won't face any criminal charges.
It's completely understandable why the Nets guard was unhappy, given the direction the country has been heading in. Irving made it crystal clear on Tuesday that he simply just needed to take a step back and focus on other issues of his life.
While he did face a fine for appearing at a family birthday party without a mask, it will be a breath of fresh air to finally see Irving feature beside both Kevin Durant and James Harden for the first time.
This Nets team is a heavy favorite in the East and we've already seen a glimpse of what KD and Harden can do together. Add Irving in the mix and this squad is going to wreak havoc on their opponents.
In seven games this season, Kyrie is averaging 27.1 points, 6.1 dimes, and 5.3 boards. Hopefully, all the drama is behind him and we'll see the big three together for the remainder of the season.
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