Stephen A. Smith, Maybe We Take It Easy on Kyrie Irving

At this point, Kyrie Irving is more myth than man, someone spotted by someone you know who was at a thing and they totally saw him, at least they thought it was him.

He is Carmen Sandiego without the floppy hat. And ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is good and mad at what he perceives as complete athletic apathy.

The network’s star commentator whose emotions range from perturbed to extremely perturbed was on ESPN’s First Take Wednesday with some career advice for the Brooklyn Nets’ Irving. Essentially, he thinks the 28-year-old should retire.

The reason for the umbrage is simple. Irving hasn’t played since Jan. 5, but there is a possibility that those who need to know do know. 

“There’s been communication, but I think that’s all in-house,” Nets coach Steve Nash said, via the New York Times. “We keep that to ourselves, and we try to figure out our home front privately.”

The Nets probably know, but the media is left to play the annual Irving guessing game. And as we all know, a nuanced take isn’t as flashy as televised outrage.

“No, he’s not. He’s not worth it at all,” Smith said, (h/t For the Win). “As a matter of fact, let me say this straight up and down, I think Kyrie Irving should retire. I think he should announce his retirement today. Clearly, you don’t want to play basketball bad enough. Now, you may still want to get the $33.4 million … Kyrie Irving has not prioritized basketball. I’m not saying he doesn’t want to play all together. I’m saying he hasn’t prioritized it. How fair is that to the Brooklyn Nets? How fair is that to Sean Marks? How fair is that to Steve Nash? A coached that he endorsed bringing onboard. A coach that he wanted. A coach that he fully supported. How fair is that to his brother, Kevin Durant?”

The Nets, like every other NBA team, is embarking upon an unprecedented season. They are no longer locked in a bubble but are maneuvering a season that doesn’t even have a full schedule yet and are doing so as a Covid pandemic rages.

Games are getting postponed and new NBA protocols are being put into place. It’s a particularly problematic time to ghost your team, especially when you’re one of the marquee players.

There is also a lot to be said for taking a breath and seeing how things play out. Irving is an enigmatic player who just last year donated masks and food to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. His heritage remains something of great importance to him. He is also a vocal champion of the WNBA, last year giving $1.5 million to those players who opted out of the league’s bubble.

But he’s also someone who has expressed profound and concerning stoicism with those around him, such as he did in 2019 upon entering the Nets fold.

“When Irving lapses into these funks, he often shuts down, unwilling to communicate with the coaching staff, front office and sometimes, even his teammates,” ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan said back in 2019, via Bleacher Report. “Nets team sources say one such episode occurred during Brooklyn’s trip to China, leaving everyone scratching their heads as to what precipitated it. There’s hope that (Kevin) Durant will be able to coax his friend into a better frame of mind.”

That fall, the Brooklyn star eventually decided to explain his demeanor and the tense situation in his own way, in private.

So where is Irving if he hasn’t played? As I mentioned, he’s popped up like a Stan Lee cameo, featuring in a purported party video sans face mask and in a fundraiser event held virtually online for Manhattan District Attorney candidate, Tahanie Aboushi. He can be seen in the image below (h/t ESPN).

I agree that it’s irresponsible to simply not play without going through the proper channels and explaining yourself fully to teammates and staff that count on you. But it’s also concerning considering this is an individual who has a history of going off on his own.

Do we think he is a misanthrope or someone who doesn’t care? His actions outside of the sport would suggest otherwise.

It’s clear that Irving is going through something. In time he will have to answer for his absence, which will be addressed no doubt by his colleagues and players like Kevin Durant.

Back to 2019, Durant had some additional thoughts on Irving.

“I look at Kyrie as somebody who is an artist,” Durant said in October of that year, via Bleacher Report. “You have to leave him alone. You know what he’ll bring to the table every night because he cares so much about the game.”

A now prescient thought follows, “Now, it might not be how other people want him to care about it. He has his way of doing things. I respect who he is and what he does. He has all the intangibles you want in a teammate and a great player.”

Those around him know who he is and what to expect. In time, Irving will hit the floor and give all of himself to get this team moving forward.

I’m not saying you can’t be angry. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be frustrated. But this isn’t a normal season. It hasn’t been a normal year. If ever there was a time to give someone a break, it would be now.