Nash might bring Kyrie off the bench due to anti-vax stance

https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-im-ready-to-bench-kyrie-irving-steve-nash-delivers-a-shocking-statement-about-the-nets-stars-potential-role-next-season/


Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash admits he could look to bring Kyrie Irving off the bench during this upcoming season



‘Kyrie Irving’ and ‘controversy’ need to be officially registered as synonyms at this point.

As you probably know by now, the Brooklyn Nets star has denied taking the vaccine so far, which load up a whole host of problems.

Long story short, the man won’t be available for any games played in New York, San Francisco, and essentially any other city where vaccination is mandatory. That’s more than 41 games out of a total of 82.

Given the situation, and how the player had to skip out on training camp as well due to similar restrictions, we can’t imagine he’s going to be very well-conditioned. And well, it seems that could become a real point of worry for Steve Nash.

Let’s get into it.

Steve Nash could play Kyrie Irving off the bench during the games that he is available for
Yep, you read that right.

Recently speaking on the matter in an interview, here is what Steve Nash said, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“We’ll see. We haven’t really got there yet,” Nash said. “We’re still trying to process all of the possibilities. That might take us some time to see where his body’s at. No one’s ever done that before. I wouldn’t know what precedents there are, and what’s the best way to do it. We’re really trying to navigate it as we go.”


Now, many have wondered if this is some sort of disciplinary action by the head coach towards Kyrie Irving. But honestly, we don’t think that’s the case.

Having seen the player up close for a while now, Nash knows doing something like that would only elicit more trouble for everyone.

Instead, this just seems like a wise move that takes the point guard’s lack of conditioning into consideration.

Will it fair well for the Nets though? Or will they have to figure out how to do things without Uncle Drew?

Guess we’ll find out soon enough.


If I were an NBA owner, I would require vaccinations for anyone in the home arena. If all the owners did this, Kyrie couldn't play in any games...

My question is "how come the Nets even have this guy on their team if he cannot play in one half of their games or even practice unless the team is on the road"?

Given Kyrie's ego, I wouldn't be surprised if he sees his refusal to get vaccinated as similar to Muhammed Ali's refusal to be drafted.

IRVING IS NO ALI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems the Nets organization, under Sean Marks, has reached a point where they are tired of bending over to accommodate the ego driven agenda of Kyrie Irving. GOOD.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:IRVING IS NO ALI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly....but you know he probably thinks he is...

This is going to be interesting

Would be nice if Diarrhea Breath went away and didn’t come back!

A true contrarian without a cause.

Ben Simmons is back with the Sixers.

I can imagine that his agent Rich Paul convinced him that returning to the team was in both of their best interests.

Now comes the journey to rehabilitate Ben's image.  The Sixers would like to increase his trade value.  The media in Philly and around the country will be in search of every sound bite to get this story on the front page.  The Sixers will pretend that nothing is wrong and Simmons will refuse to answer any questions about his long term status with the team.

If Ben really wants to piss off the lot of them he should come out taking every conceivable shot.  Then the fans will be begging for him to not shoot the ball.

gyso wrote:

bobc33 wrote:Would be nice if Diarrhea Breath went away and didn’t come back!  

A true contrarian without a cause clue.

Fixed it?

Yes

Another interesting story. I read this morning, he (Simmons) is on covid protocol right now, but that there are stories out there that he is still being shopped and wants out After all that has been said, can you imagine those Philly fans accepting him back?? He said he was done So is this going to be a John Wall story, where he sits, or a James Harden story where he plays like crap to push the trade along quicker, just getting rid of a big headach.

So much for sitting the season out,huh Ben

dboss wrote:Ben Simmons is back with the Sixers.

I can imagine that his agent Rich Paul convinced him that returning to the team was in both of their best interests.

Now comes the journey to rehabilitate Ben's image.  The Sixers would like to increase his trade value.  The media in Philly and around the country will be in search of every sound bite to get this story on the front page.  The Sixers will pretend that nothing is wrong and Simmons will refuse to answer any questions about his long term status with the team.

If Ben really wants to piss off the lot of them he should come out taking every conceivable shot.  Then the fans will be begging for him to not shoot the ball.

My gut feel says that this is the move to call out the Philly power play: hold back his salary. He can easily pull a Harden. Disrupt practice. Play half-assed in games. Philly can no longer hold back his salary.

This mess got more interesting.

prakash wrote:

dboss wrote:Ben Simmons is back with the Sixers.

I can imagine that his agent Rich Paul convinced him that returning to the team was in both of their best interests.

Now comes the journey to rehabilitate Ben's image.  The Sixers would like to increase his trade value.  The media in Philly and around the country will be in search of every sound bite to get this story on the front page.  The Sixers will pretend that nothing is wrong and Simmons will refuse to answer any questions about his long term status with the team.

If Ben really wants to piss off the lot of them he should come out taking every conceivable shot.  Then the fans will be begging for him to not shoot the ball.

My gut feel says that this is the move to call out the Philly power play: hold back his salary.  He can easily pull a Harden.  Disrupt practice.  Play half-assed in games.  Philly can no longer hold back his salary.

This mess got more interesting.

Prakash

I think he understands that going to another team is not as easy as, 'I want out'. The Sixers want to apply some cosmetic upgrades and pretend that the property is better than as is.

If Ben wants to pay for his ticket out of town it would behoove him to give it all he has.

The Sixers are stuck in what Isaac Hayes referred to as a 'trick bag'. The Sixers want max compensation for a max player. The Sixers are slip, sliding away like a drunk trying to get home from the bar in the middle of an ice storm.

bobheckler wrote:MY NOTE:  Looks like it doesn't matter what the Mayor does, the Nets are on record.


Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
1 minute ago
Wow. Nets in official statement reveal “Kyrie Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant." pic.twitter.com/NWMnVPzfnd





Bob


.

FACE!!

gyso wrote:The current NBA CBA runs through the 2023-24 season, although either side may opt out after the 2022-23 season.  None of the early termination conditions apply to the Simmons situation or to this situation.  Another situation is when players under contract insist on a trade while under contract.  

The owners are not going to continue to allow players who make $30-40M per year to hold their teams hostage.  The teams are in a bind because the salaries are, for the most part, guaranteed.  The teams have invested time and money to acquire these players and their investment is forfeited due to an unequal Owner - Player power balance.

The owners may want to include something that spells out that the players will get no guaranteed money when engaging in these shenanigans.  The owners may also demand some hefty fines to go along with the zero compensation.  Hit them where it hurts.

Things like this could allow many fans to walk away from the league.  Who wants to watch (and spend m their hard-earned money) when millionaires cry about their lot in life because the team they sign with doesn't meet their expectations?

Time for a lockout in a couple years?

Gyso,
For the most part I agree with what you’re saying, except-

The teams have invested time and money to acquire these players and their investment is forfeited due to an unequal Owner- Player power balance.

Their investment is forfeited. How so?

dboss wrote:Ben Simmons is back with the Sixers.

I can imagine that his agent Rich Paul convinced him that returning to the team was in both of their best interests.

Now comes the journey to rehabilitate Ben's image.  The Sixers would like to increase his trade value.  The media in Philly and around the country will be in search of every sound bite to get this story on the front page.  The Sixers will pretend that nothing is wrong and Simmons will refuse to answer any questions about his long term status with the team.

If Ben really wants to piss off the lot of them he should come out taking every conceivable shot.  Then the fans will be begging for him to not shoot the ball.

In the words of the late great Michael Jackson, HEE HEE HEE

The bet now becomes how long does he hold out, knowing full well the BKN road to the Finals has more than likely already passed last season and the door has been slammed shut for the time being on this season.  Harden and KD aren't getting any younger, either, and Kyrie has probably aged them and the entire team mentally, physically and emotionally to about 45 with all this.  I'm leaning now to a first round exit or not even making the playoffs for BKN now.  But let's hold the phone, long ears.  

Whether you like being told what to do or not, you're still an employee in the NBA unless you're the owner.  And those above Kyrie have had enough of whatever power drive or point making Kyrie is trying to do.  NO matter how much money you are making and you're not the owner, you've got to answer to somebody or you get canned.  Labor unions are a different animal than what the rest of the working class deal with, but again, in the end, you have to answer to the man or woman, like it or not.  Kyrie?  He's going to continue to answer to himself.  And if I could put my finger on why BKN will not even sniff the O'Brien Trophy, it may be summed up in that one sentence.  It's sad yet it opens the door up for the Celtics and #18 this season.  So, guess what?!!  Have fun BKN.  Believe it or not, this is what you signed up for.  A huge waste of time and an infinite waste of money...and no trophy.  But hey, you still have Kyrie!!

There's no "I" in TEAM.  Of course, Michael Jordan quipped, "Yeah, but there is one in "WIN"!!  Gotta love Michael.  His other great comeback was with his shoes and Nike and trying to get out of a political trap drawn up by the reporter asking a question.  "Republicans buy shoes, too!"  I don't know if this has become Urban Legend or whether Michael even said those things, but they are appropriate for this discussion!

db

Another great quote that BKN is going to learn the hard way in the opposite direction is...

"Greed, ladies and gentlemen, for lack of a better word, is good."

Couple more thoughts here.

1)  Can you imagine this all happening while Kyrie was a Celtic?!!!!  IMHBAO, Boston has always had a way of keeping things on an even keel throughout its history in spite of all the winning (and droughts as well).  And it's always good to have things like this happening to other franchises, not ours.  I don't think Boston would have handled something like this very well at all.  Don't know why and can't prove it, just a feeling.  They are usually very skillful at being out in front of things.  All the time.  Uncanny one might say.  

That whole thought really blows my mind.  Wouldn't he still be here if we hadn't traded him?!  Holy Crap!!  I honestly think something like this would have destroyed the Celtics organization.    

2)  Since Kyrie is looking like he wants to keep all his options on the table, can BKN waive him at this point?  What would that entail?  A buyout?  Please clarify, gyso or others.  Present valuing a $70 million contract just to sweep this all under the rug and not subject the rest of the league to the what ifs and the whims of Kyrie doesn't seem like that much a price to pay for the greedy Nets.  Of course BKN in going to have to realize that the championship aspirations all over even before the 1st game of the season.  Good luck with that. Greed is fickle bitch.  I was personally wrapped up in its clutches in a former life and lost everything.  Certainly not on this scale, but this will go under the category of the bigger they are, the harder they fall.  

db

No one else wanted it, too many headaches. Plus, to him? it is a position of power