Report: Irving & Durant broke COVID protocol during 19/20 season

[Ed Monix]

Matt Sullivan made a number of [dang]ing revelations about Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets in a recent interview talking about his new book 'Can't Knock The Hustle'.

Sullivan was on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz yesterday. He alleged that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, among others, had disregarded the league’s directives forbidding players from holding their own basketball camps:

“There’s a lot of things that the Nets do that are in culture. There’s a reason they have such a wall around everything they do, kinda Kremlin-esque.”

“In the middle of Covid, they were working out half the team – or really, Kyrie, KD and their friends on the team – in Kobe’s old gym back in California. You wouldn’t have been allowed to do that in the middle of Covid.”

“All these strict protocols and masks and gloves while you’re not touching the basketball. They were running like a secret camp the whole time, trying to get KD and Kyrie in shape...also articulating who they wanted on this team, kind of puppeteering, watching some of these young guns, basically letting them loose and figuring out who they wanted to keep on the super-team, all while Kyrie is painting and saging, tweeting manifestos about black lives matter and why he doesn't believe in that mainstream movement from his car outside kobe's gym before he goes and does these secret runs"

[Ed Monix]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,

- Kenny Atkinson who built the Nets program and allowed Durant & Irving the freedom to do as they wished...Irving then went behind his back and got Atkinson fired.

- Steve Nash is essentially playing baby sitter as head coach

- Sullivan believes Irving is actually a good guy

- Sullivan tells about how Irving secretly has bought a house for a disabled child who had been shot in California.

- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

- High ranking official at the Nets told Sullivan that 'these guys have a blank cheque' almost like how Hollywood movie stars are treated (women, houses for women, money for friends ect.)

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

- Kyrie got players removed from the Nets roster this season because they didn't agree with his politics, view of player empowerment, bubble boycott call ect.

- Garrett Temple told Sullivan if you go against 'leadership group' you won't be playing for the Nets next season.

- Irving met and talked with Bill Russell in 2018.

- Russell spoke about playing for the Celtics not for Boston, this notion made Kyrie think "I am trying to champion Boston but when I look at the history of Boston, is this a city I want to champion in terms of their racial history...is Boston the type of place I want to represent"

- Nets ownership paid off logo designers to say Jay-Z created the Brooklyn Nets identity

- Nets management spied on Chinese pro democracy protesters during game at Barclays Center.

- When Irving's grandfather died, his priorities changed and looked at going home.

[86MaxwellSmart]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,

- Kenny Atkinson who built the Nets program and allowed Durant & Irving the freedom to do as they wished...Irving then went behind his back and got Atkinson fired.

- Steve Nash is essentially playing baby sitter as head coach

- Sullivan believes Irving is actually a good guy

- Sullivan tells about how Irving secretly has bought a house for a disabled child who had been shot in California.

- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

- High ranking official at the Nets told Sullivan that 'these guys have a blank cheque' almost like how Hollywood movie stars are treated (women, houses for women, money for friends ect.)

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

- Kyrie got players removed from the Nets roster this season because they didn't agree with his politics, view of player empowerment, bubble boycott call ect.

- Garrett Temple told Sullivan if you go against 'leadership group' you won't be playing for the Nets next season.

- Irving met and talked with Bill Russell in 2018.

- Russell spoke about playing for the Celtics not for Boston, this notion made Kyrie think "I am trying to champion Boston but when I look at the history of Boston, is this a city I want to champion in terms of their racial history...is Boston the type of place I want to represent"

- Nets ownership paid off logo designers to say Jay-Z created the Brooklyn Nets identity

- Nets management spied on Chinese pro democracy protesters during game at Barclays Center.

[/b][/u]

Now, THIS is the scary part to me....kinda sad how the NBA is in the hands of the CCP...although it has been pretty obvious for awhile.

[hpantazo]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,



- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

That is just sad and hilarious at the same time. A grown man at the top of his profession acting like a 12 year old.

[hpantazo]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,

- Kenny Atkinson who built the Nets program and allowed Durant & Irving the freedom to do as they wished...Irving then went behind his back and got Atkinson fired.

- Steve Nash is essentially playing baby sitter as head coach

- Sullivan believes Irving is actually a good guy

- Sullivan tells about how Irving secretly has bought a house for a disabled child who had been shot in California.

- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

- High ranking official at the Nets told Sullivan that 'these guys have a blank cheque' almost like how Hollywood movie stars are treated (women, houses for women, money for friends ect.)

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

- Kyrie got players removed from the Nets roster this season because they didn't agree with his politics, view of player empowerment, bubble boycott call ect.

- Garrett Temple told Sullivan if you go against 'leadership group' you won't be playing for the Nets next season.

- Irving met and talked with Bill Russell in 2018.

- Russell spoke about playing for the Celtics not for Boston, this notion made Kyrie think "I am trying to champion Boston but when I look at the history of Boston, is this a city I want to champion in terms of their racial history...is Boston the type of place I want to represent"

- Nets ownership paid off logo designers to say Jay-Z created the Brooklyn Nets identity

- Nets management spied on Chinese pro democracy protesters during game at Barclays Center.

[/b][/u]

Now, THIS is the scary part to me....kinda sad how the NBA is in the hands of the CCP...although it has been pretty obvious for awhile.

I wonder how that fits with Kyrie's political beliefs

[Ed Monix]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,



- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

That is just sad and hilarious at the same time. A grown man at the top of his profession acting like a 12 year old.

Yeah Sullivan talked about how Kerr took Durant out to a bar and told him how LeBron James, Kobe, Jordan decided to deal with any negativity by saying 'F*** IT ' and not letting it faze them and Durant agreed but then later went back to going at children on twitter lol.

[Ed Monix]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,

- Kenny Atkinson who built the Nets program and allowed Durant & Irving the freedom to do as they wished...Irving then went behind his back and got Atkinson fired.

- Steve Nash is essentially playing baby sitter as head coach

- Sullivan believes Irving is actually a good guy

- Sullivan tells about how Irving secretly has bought a house for a disabled child who had been shot in California.

- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

- High ranking official at the Nets told Sullivan that 'these guys have a blank cheque' almost like how Hollywood movie stars are treated (women, houses for women, money for friends ect.)

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

- Kyrie got players removed from the Nets roster this season because they didn't agree with his politics, view of player empowerment, bubble boycott call ect.

- Garrett Temple told Sullivan if you go against 'leadership group' you won't be playing for the Nets next season.

- Irving met and talked with Bill Russell in 2018.

- Russell spoke about playing for the Celtics not for Boston, this notion made Kyrie think "I am trying to champion Boston but when I look at the history of Boston, is this a city I want to champion in terms of their racial history...is Boston the type of place I want to represent"

- Nets ownership paid off logo designers to say Jay-Z created the Brooklyn Nets identity

- Nets management spied on Chinese pro democracy protesters during game at Barclays Center.

Now, THIS is the scary part to me....kinda sad how the NBA is in the hands of the CCP...although it has been pretty obvious for awhile.

This wasn't regarding the NBA office but Joe Tsai, the team owner who is connected to the CCP. For what I gathered in the interview the NBA just looks the other way regarding these issues, so essentially what every major company has always done.

[gouki88]

A lot of this is unsurprising, but I did not expect Kyrie to have so much power over their roster choices.

[GreenEnvy]

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

I have zero doubt the NBA is doomed for the foreseeable future. Even when LeBron (who created this culture) retires, he will weasel his way into an ownership role (almost assuredly pressuring Gilbert to sell to his group).

[gift]

There are some other interesting reports to come from Sullivan's interview,

- Kenny Atkinson who built the Nets program and allowed Durant & Irving the freedom to do as they wished...Irving then went behind his back and got Atkinson fired.

- Steve Nash is essentially playing baby sitter as head coach

- Sullivan believes Irving is actually a good guy

- Sullivan tells about how Irving secretly has bought a house for a disabled child who had been shot in California.

- Steve Kerr tried to get Durant (while on the Warriors) to stop looking at his phone and caring what others said about him but nothing worked.

- High ranking official at the Nets told Sullivan that 'these guys have a blank cheque' almost like how Hollywood movie stars are treated (women, houses for women, money for friends ect.)

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

- Kyrie got players removed from the Nets roster this season because they didn't agree with his politics, view of player empowerment, bubble boycott call ect.

- Garrett Temple told Sullivan if you go against 'leadership group' you won't be playing for the Nets next season.

- Irving met and talked with Bill Russell in 2018.

- Russell spoke about playing for the Celtics not for Boston, this notion made Kyrie think "I am trying to champion Boston but when I look at the history of Boston, is this a city I want to champion in terms of their racial history...is Boston the type of place I want to represent"

- Nets ownership paid off logo designers to say Jay-Z created the Brooklyn Nets identity

- Nets management spied on Chinese pro democracy protesters during game at Barclays Center.

[/b][/u]

Now, THIS is the scary part to me....kinda sad how the NBA is in the hands of the CCP...although it has been pretty obvious for awhile.

I wonder how that fits with Kyrie's political beliefs

You mean his beliefs in his own personal autonomy, but not necessarily anyone else's? Fits in just fine.

[Who]

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

I have zero doubt the NBA is doomed for the foreseeable future. Even when LeBron (who created this culture) retires, he will weasel his way into an ownership role (almost assuredly pressuring Gilbert to sell to his group).

I still feel like this is misunderstood as a concept by many - that is being over-generalized for the entire NBA rather than something that is only useful as an option in a small number of cases. And even then, it'll fall apart within a few short years. 

This can only work when you have 2-3 stars already in place. If you have only 1 star, it will have a massive failure rate that makes it a poor strategy for team building.

Most teams are still better off maintaining firm leadership & direction of their teams - not handing it over to their star players.

Will it bite them in the ass from time to time? Sure. But it is still a much better strategy in terms of likelihood of success than caving to every whim of your star player.

[Moranis]

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

I have zero doubt the NBA is doomed for the foreseeable future. Even when LeBron (who created this culture) retires, he will weasel his way into an ownership role (almost assuredly pressuring Gilbert to sell to his group).

I still feel like this is misunderstood as a concept by many - that is being over-generalized for the entire NBA rather than something that is only useful as an option in a small number of cases. And even then, it'll fall apart within a few short years. 

This can only work when you have 2-3 stars already in place. If you have only 1 star, it will have a massive failure rate that makes it a poor strategy for team building.

Most teams are still better off maintaining firm leadership & direction of their teams - not handing it over to their star players.

Will it bite them in the ass from time to time? Sure. But it is still a much better strategy in terms of likelihood of success than caving to every whim of your star player.

there is also a difference between giving the stars some benefit and going crazy like apparently Houston did with Harden.  I have no problem with giving veterans and stars benefits and perks that you don't give the 2nd round rookie.  Not all employees are equal, even if they technically have the same job description.  The team just can't go crazy, that is where they get into trouble and create a lousy team culture.

[Who]

- What makes Nets a 'modern franchise' is not the facilities or having the best defensive schemes, it's putting up with all the stars baggage.

I have zero doubt the NBA is doomed for the foreseeable future. Even when LeBron (who created this culture) retires, he will weasel his way into an ownership role (almost assuredly pressuring Gilbert to sell to his group).

I still feel like this is misunderstood as a concept by many - that is being over-generalized for the entire NBA rather than something that is only useful as an option in a small number of cases. And even then, it'll fall apart within a few short years. 

This can only work when you have 2-3 stars already in place. If you have only 1 star, it will have a massive failure rate that makes it a poor strategy for team building.

Most teams are still better off maintaining firm leadership & direction of their teams - not handing it over to their star players.

Will it bite them in the ass from time to time? Sure. But it is still a much better strategy in terms of likelihood of success than caving to every whim of your star player.

there is also a difference between giving the stars some benefit and going crazy like apparently Houston did with Harden.  I have no problem with giving veterans and stars benefits and perks that you don't give the 2nd round rookie.  Not all employees are equal, even if they technically have the same job description.  The team just can't go crazy, that is where they get into trouble and create a lousy team culture.

Yes, agreed. 100%.

[PAOBoston]

The team spying on the pro democracy protesters is wild.

That franchise is going to implode in the greatest way at some point.

[Ed Monix]

The team spying on the pro democracy protesters is wild.

That franchise is going to implode in the greatest way at some point.

I hope so, the current iteration of the Nets is a representation of everything I hate about the modern NBA & sports.

Although I’m not particularly religious, it worries me that this Brooklyn Nets are yet another sign of impending doom lol. We’ve obviously had huge floods, wildfires and Covid-19 but I’ve recently noticed how Irving, Durant & Harden are almost the embodiment of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Kyrie Irving- Pride & Wrath

Kevin Durant- Envy & Lust

James Harden- Greed, Gluttony & Sloth