Nets GM Didn't Consider Waiving Kyrie Irving After He Promoted Antisemitic Movie

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said Friday the team didn't consider waiving point guard Kyrie Irving before it announced an indefinite unpaid suspension of at least five games following his promotion of an antisemitic film.

Irving issued an apology Thursday night on Instagram, saying he had "no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate," which Marks called "a step" in the right direction.

The Nets' decision to suspend Irving came after a press conference earlier Thursday where he refused to directly answer a question about whether he held any antisemitic beliefs.

A review of the film, Hebrews To Negroes: Wake Up Black America, by Drew Magary of SFGate described it as "pure, uncut antisemitism," including Holocaust denial.

"But this is a fundamentally antisemitic work built around the belief that Black people are the original Hebrews, and that present-day Jews have stolen their identity and used it to run the world," Magary wrote. "This is a bedrock principle within certain elements of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement; it's been extensively debunked and is indisputably hateful, no matter how childish a guise it may come in."

Irving later deleted the social-media post containing a link to the film and announced he'd team with the Nets to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt later said the group wouldn't accept the NBA player's $500,000.

"We were optimistic but after watching the debacle of a press conference, it's clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions," Greenblatt wrote Thursday on Twitter. "ADL cannot in good conscience accept his donation."

Irving, 30, is in the final season of a four-year, $136.5 million contract with Brooklyn. He'll become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 campaign if an extension isn't signed.

The seven-time All-Star was the focus of trade rumors throughout the summer, but the Nets ultimately decided to keep their core of Irving and Kevin Durant together for another season.

He'll serve the first game of his suspension Friday night against the Washington Wizards. He'll remain sidelined through at least a Nov. 12 game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Irving could return Nov. 13 when the Nets face the Los Angeles Lakers if he meets the organization's requirements.