I think it's an interesting look at the different ways people experience fandom.
It's understandable that some of the fanbase will be upset at him missing time. It's because the fans don't know him personally, at the end of the day he's seen as a tool, a means to an end. We support the team and the players are the tools for the team to become successful and win a championship, which is what we're primarily interested in. So when someone gets injured, or has to miss time for the birth of a child, or decides not to play because of fears of Covid, what some people look at first and foremost is the fact that the team is now weaker as a result and his absence is to blame, whatever the reason. [dang] the guy for having a kid, doesn't he have enough already?? And the dude is costing the team millions what a waste of money!
Other fans empathize a lot more with the players, like they are part of a bigger family and not just tools to achieve an end. We celebrate their wins on the court but also their wins off the court, be it birthdays, new kids, or marriages. Even to the point where some of their actions (e.g. Gordon missing time due to attending his kid's birth) may lead to the detriment of the team as a whole.
I just find it fascinating when those two points of view collide