The real reason Kyrie Irving is taking a break from Nets

Naturally, that didn’t sit well with some fans. Later in the evening, Nets head coach Steve Nash pushed back on the idea that Irving simply opted out of playing for no real reason.

“I don’t believe that to be the case,” Nash said on a Zoom call with the media.

So what really happened? Robinson eventually provided some context for his original tweet that shined a light on Irving’s rationale for sitting out, and provided clarity on what his thought process was.

Nets insider Anthony Puccio seemingly confirmed Robinson’s assessment of the situation.

“One source close to Irving’s camp told The Association that Irving did not play because he is protesting against the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, and the lack of repercussions for the police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor.”

On a Zoom call with the media, Brooklyn swingman Caris LeVert also seemed to corroborate that the reason for Irving’s absence is related to him processing what’s going on in the world.

“That’s a personal issue for him,” LeVert said.

“We support him, You know, he’s our brother. We went out there and competed without him. Like I said, it was a personal issue for him.”

Irving is widely regarded as one of the most free-thinking and unique players in the NBA today, so his reaction to objectively significant world events shouldn’t come as much of a shock.

By all accounts, Nets players have and continue to stand behind Irving, so it’s unlikely that his missed time will cause any significant issues within the organization.