Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers has responded to Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who says the return of the NBA would negatively affect the Black Lives Matter movement. Rivers says he doesn't see the correlation.
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"Us coming back would put money in all of our (NBA players) pockets," Rivers continued. "With this money, you could help out even more people and continue to give more importantly your time and energy towards the BLM movement. Which I'm 100% on board with. Because change needs to happen and injustice has been going on too long."
"I love Kyrie's passion towards helping this movement," Rivers continued. "It's admirable and inspiring. I'm with it ... but not at the cost of the whole NBA and players' careers. We can do both. We can play and we can help change the way black lives are lived. I think we have [to]! But canceling and boycotting [a] return doesn't do that in my opinion. Guys want to play and provide and help change!!!!"
Reports have surfaced that Irving is against the NBA resuming. He told The Athletic, "“I’m not with the systematic racism and the bullshit. Something smells a little fishy.”
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson has also expressed his disapproval of the league returning in July.
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Kevin Durant Confirms He Will Not Return For Playoffs
Kevin Durant has no plans to play during the NBA’s coronavirus-adapted playoff run.
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant is not returning for the 2019-20 NBA season, despite the playoffs being scheduled to end as late as October. The All-Star confirmed the decision to ESPN, Friday.
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“It’s just best for me to wait,” Durant said. “I don’t think I’m ready to play that type of intensity right now in the next month. It gives me more time to get ready for next season and the rest of my career. My season is over. I don’t plan on playing at all. We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season.
“I had no plans of playing at all this season.”
Durant, while still nursing a torn Achilles tendon, is fully recovered from COVID-19. He tested positive for the virus in March.
“I was shocked,” he said, regarding testing positive. “And then I was curious. I wanted to know what it meant. What is the virus about? I started to get information about it more and more. It calmed me down … I was just more curious to what I was dealing with and how I could fight it myself.”
The NBA season will return on July 31.
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Kevin Durant Gives His Take On George Floyd Protests
Kevin Durant had a lot to say about the current political unrest in the United States.
Last week, George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis and since then, there have been protests all throughout the United States. It’s clear that people are fed up with police brutality and are trying to start a revolution that sees real change come to the United States. During this time, numerous athletes have come out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and are making sure something like this never happens again.
Recently, Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets spoke to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated about what’s happening throughout the country and how necessary it is right now. As Durant explained, he’s happy to see all of the protesters come together for a common cause.
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“This is about our culture,” Durant said. “I’ve seen the care, love and attention we have as a community. With everything going on right now it makes me have a lot of pride. We have a lot of stuff on our back, but we keep fighting through. It’s beautiful to see everybody coming together as one right now for what we all believe in, which is equality. The black community always sticks together through tragedy. But to see everybody support us in their own way is cool.”
Durant also urged white people to educate themselves about the black community as education is the best way to show real support. Durant has a massive platform and it’s clear he is ready to use it.
KD & Kyrie Irving’s Injury Status Updated Ahead Of NBA Return
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have both been suffering from injuries this season.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both superstar players and they are both under contract with the Brooklyn Nets. KD hasn’t played a single game this season due to an Achilles injury while Kyrie has been struggling with his shoulder. Prior to the Coronavirus-imposed NBA shutdown, Irving had to have surgery on his shoulder and his status this season has been up in the air ever since.
With the prolonged break, there have been rumors that KD could find himself back on the court this season. According to NetsDaily, this simply isn’t the case. As it stands, there is no chance of seeing Durant back on the court this year. However, Irving is a much different story. The Nets and Kyrie have yet to confirm anything but there is still a slight chance of seeing him on the court when the playoffs start.
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The Nets have struggled at times this season but are still sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference which means they would make the playoffs should the postseason start today. If they do get Kyrie back, they will have much more of a fighting chance against some of the higher seeds like Toronto or even the Bucks should they fall back to eighth.
Stay tuned for updates regarding the NBA season as we will be sure to bring them to you.
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Spencer Dinwiddie Reacts To Bradley Beal Nets Rumors
Spencer Dinwiddie had a pretty funny reaction to all of these Bradley Beal rumors that are circulating.
Spencer Dinwiddie continues to be one of the most active NBA players on Twitter. In his own right, he has become a bit of a troll, especially when it comes to his business ventures. For instance, Dinwiddie started and eventually took down a GoFundMe that would have seen fans donating to him in order to crowdfund his upcoming free agency decision. Now, Dinwiddie is reacting to something a lot more pressing, which could ultimately affect where he plays next.
Yesterday, we wrote about the fact that the Brooklyn Nets were thinking about acquiring the likes of Bradley Beal. Of course, Dinwiddie plays for the Nets and would most likely be a part of any deal that could bring Beal into the city. With this in mind, Dinwiddie offered a quick reaction in the form of a gif.
Essentially, Dinwiddie knows the Nets would have to move a lot of pieces for this move to happen and deep down, he knows he would probably be part of that equation. In Kyrie Irving's absence, Dinwiddie has played phenomenally well this season and his value is surely at an all-time high. If you're the Wizards, he is certainly looking like an attractive piece for a rebuild.
It will be fun to see how this all plays out.
Bradley Beal Rumored To Be Nets Target For Big 3 With KD & Kyrie
There is a rumor going around that the Nets might want to go get Bradley Beal.
Bradley Beal may very well be one of the most underrated players in the entire NBA and it mostly has to do with the fact that he plays for the Washington Wizards. The Wizards have been abysmal as of late although Beal has been their one bright spot. He is currently averaging 30.5 points per game and is easily one of the most prolific scorers in the Eastern Conference right now. Of course, the Wizards are keen on keeping him but Beal has been wishy-washy on signing longterm.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, there appears to be some heavy interest for Beal, coming from the Brooklyn Nets. Stars like Kyrie Irving have made it clear that the team could use some reinforcements for when he and Kevin Durant finally get to pair up next season. With this in mind, the Nets are rumored to be exploring ways to get Beal on their team, so that they can form a brand new Big 3.
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A team with Beal, Irving, and Durant would certainly become title contenders instantly. These are some of the best offensive players in the league and the Nets would become one of the most formidable backcourts in the Eastern Conference.
Only time will tell whether or not this comes to fruition.
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Spencer Dinwiddie Appears To Reveal When NBA Will Return
Spencer Dinwiddie is giving fans what they've been hoping for.
Ever since the Coronavirus pandemic entered our lives, sports fans have been hungry for what they have been missing out on. Not having sports in your life can be tough and it's certainly been a very difficult few months for fans all around the world. One of the sports that people have been dying to have come back is basketball and the NBA. We were in the midst of a pretty fun season and people want to see how it will all end.
The NBA has been working on various return scenarios and there has been speculation as to when things will go back to normal. Today, Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets appeared to leak some interesting information, as he claimed that the NBA would be returning on July 15th and that there would be five regular-season games played. He noted that these games will be played at a bubble site and that practices will be allowed to start on June 21st.
Dinwiddie made sure to note that this is simply what he has heard although as an NBA player, you have to figure his information is coming from a pretty reliable source.
If this is, in fact, true, then NBA fans have something to look forward to.
Spencer Dinwiddie Starts Bitcoin GoFundMe, Lets Fans Pick Next Team
Spencer Dinwiddie has an interesting way of doing things.
Spencer Dinwiddie has consistently been one of the freest thinkers in the entire NBA. Instead of signing to a sneaker brand, he created his very own shoe. He also has a lot of interest in bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency. Dinwiddie's interest in technology has led him down some pretty interesting roads and now, he is using it to crowdsource his next free agency decision.
Essentially, Dinwiddie has started a GoFundMe campaign where he is looking to raise 2625.8 in bitcoin which also comes out to over $24 million. If he gets to his goal, he will let his fans choose his next team. Basically, you will be able to decide where he goes next. Thanks to the money he will have raised, he plans on only taking a minimum one-year contract.
While this is an interesting idea, it will certainly upset prospective teams who genuinely want to sign him. Not to mention, the bitcoin idea circumvents the salary cap, which could be deeply illegal in the confines of the NBA. With that being said, fans seem to be quite excited about this prospect.
As of right now, 74 people have contributed to the GoFundMe for a total of $816 USD. He still has a long way to go before reaching his goal so as it stands, his plans will probably fall short.
Kevin Durant Receives Health Update From Nets GM
Kevin Durant has been out all season with an Achilles injury.
Kevin Durant is one of if not the best player in the NBA when he is healthy. Unfortunately for basketball fans around the league, we haven’t been able to see KD in his element as he currently has a ruptured Achilles tendon that he is still in the process of rehabbing.
There have been numerous rumors this season that he could come back ahead of schedule and that the 2019-20 season could be a realistic endeavor. Durant and his team have denied this at every turn and are keeping the same tune despite the Coronavirus-imposed NBA shutdown. Now, Nets general manager Sean Marks is speaking out about Durant, noting that the team won’t force the issue with KD and are happy to get him when he’s good and ready.
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“When you’ve got enough invested in a player like Kevin, we’re never going to push him to come back. When the timing is right, he’ll be 100 percent when he gets on the court,” Marks said. “I can tell you this though – before the pandemic, he looked like Kevin Durant and that’s a good thing.”
Durant and Kyrie Irving will prove to be one of the most potent duos in the entire Eastern Conference and we expect them to be real contenders for a championship, next season.
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Nike KD 13 "Home Team" Is An Homage To The Nets: Photos
The Nike KD 13 is getting a clean Nets colorway that is perfect for all Brooklyn sneakerheads.
Kevin Durant has been a part of the Brooklyn Nets for almost a full season now and while he hasn’t actually played any minutes, there is no denying that he has left his mark on the city. Thanks to his signature shoes, KD has been trying to show appreciation for Brooklyn and his latest Nike KD 13 does just that.
As you can see, the shoe has a grey, white, and black upper that looks a lot like the team’s Bed-Stuy jerseys. The colorway is called “Home Team” which adds a further sense that this is, indeed, a colorway fit for a Brooklyn Nets fan. From there, we have a colorful camo dyed midsole that is inspired by none other than the Notorious B.I.G. This offering is absolutely perfect for all of you Nets fans out there so if you’re in need of some new basketball shoes, look no further than these kicks right here. You can expect them to drop on Friday, May 1st for $160 USD.
Be sure to stay tuned for more news from the world of sneakers, as we will always bring you the latest updates.