NBA 2020-21: Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 for violating the league’s Health and Safety Protocols, which among other things prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs, or similar establishments.
It was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations. The violation occurred when he attended a private indoor party last weekend.
Irving will forfeit his salary for any games he misses due to his five-day quarantine period, which will allow him to return to team activities on Sat., Jan. 16 if he continues to test negative.
Irving was fined earlier after referring to the media as ‘pawns’
Portland Trail Blazers’ star guard Damian Lillard gave his remarks on Kyrie Irving using the term “pawns” to describe members of the media.
Kyrie Irving, who’s now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, used the phrase earlier Friday in a statement posted on Instagram after he was fined $25,000 by the NBA for failing to complete his preseason media availability:
Kyrie Irving on IG. pic.twitter.com/hTtRsLC29s
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) December 11, 2020
NBA 2020-21: Find the detailed information on the new contracts signed by the NBA players here.
“The way I’ve handled things, it hasn’t been perfect. I’ve made a lot of mistakes that I take full responsibility for. I apologize. I haven’t done it perfectly. I haven’t said the right things all the time. I don’t want to sit in a place like I’m on a pedestal from anybody. I’m a normal human being that makes mistakes. For me, I think because of how fixated I was on trying to prove other people wrong, I got into a lot of habits that were bad, like reading stuff and reacting emotionally. That’s just not who I am.” said Kyrie Irving.
Damian Lillard on Kyrie Irving’s Instagram Live
Dame’s comment on Kyrie’s IG live😂😂 pic.twitter.com/cnSkLT0MgG
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 13, 2020
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has had a long-standing feud with the media, and he explained his side of the story during a March 2019 interview with Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, saying he felt his comments were too often used to create drama.
NBA 2020-21 preseason: Key takeaways from the opening night
A note on statement Kyrie Irving issued (pictured below) in lieu of speaking w/media during NBA’s Media Week: it doesn’t apply to entire season, as Newsday noted. Details on that from Ashley Blackwood, Chief Communications Officer for Irving & KAI Enterprise, is pictured below: pic.twitter.com/8cdiGYaBIh
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 6, 2020
NBA 2020-21 Schedule: The tentative NBA schedule calendar for the 2020-21 season:
• Dec. 11-19, 2020: Preseason games
• Dec. 22, 2020 – March 4, 2021: First Half of regular season
• March 5-10, 2021: All-Star break
• March 11 – May 16, 2021: Second Half of regular season
• May 18-21, 2021: Play-In Tournament
• May 22 – July 22, 2021: 2021 NBA Playoffs