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Kyrie Irving felt comfortable enough to say exactly what he was thinking in a recent conversation with Kevin Durant.
The problem? It was on a podcast readily available to the public.
And the NBA world has reacted — and not in a good way — to Irving’s assertions that he doesn’t see the Brooklyn Nets as really having, or needing a head coach, and that Durant is the first teammate he’s had who he can trust to take the final shot.
“One thing I’ve always been comfortable with, I felt like I was the best option on every team I played for down the stretch,” Irving said on the The ETCs with Kevin Durant podcast.
“This is the first time in my career I’ve looked down and be like, ‘That motherf—er can make that shot too.’ And he’ll probably do it a lot easier.
“It’s not so much deferring, because in past situations where I didn’t take the last shot I felt guilty. I want this game-winning shot, but also you want to trust your teammates. Not that I didn’t trust my teammates, but I felt like I was the best option.”
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Irving has since insisted his comments weren’t aimed at former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James. But not everybody believes him.
“He took a direct shot at LeBron James,” Tony Kornheiser said on ESPN’s PTI. “That is exactly what he did.
“He is so miserable. He is so toxic. I cannot believe that anyone really wants to play with him.”
Irving and Durant teamed up to sign in Brooklyn last off-season, with the star duo yet to play a game together due to the latter’s injury troubles.
“He can feel however he wants,” Max Kellerman said on ESPN’s First Take. “He’s wrong, and clearly he’s talking about LeBron.”
Former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, was far harsher: “We know this guy’s (Irving) talented. He’s going to go down as one of the most skilled ever.
“And he was giving praise to Kevin Durant. But you can do that without taking shots at another player.
“And here’s the truth of the matter: he is a bona fide hater. He is so jealous and he envies LeBron, that he can’t even hide it anymore. It’s seeping through his pores.”
“ … Kyrie, LeBron tried to take you under his wing. He tried to show you the way. You said, ‘Hey, I’m tired of being under his shadow.’
“You tried to go to Boston. You tried to lead that team, and what happened? It was a disaster.”
While Irving, according to Stephen A. Smith, was valid in some respects — his clutch-time shotmaking is up there with the best in the league — it was the timing of the comments that crossed the line.
“I thought he did [cross the line],” Smith said.
“ … The point is, why say that now? Why would you do that? The fact is, you’re home watching the Finals while LeBron James is in the Finals.
“And don’t give us some crap about, ‘Why does it have to be about two brothers going against another?’
“First of all, it’s you. Nobody did that. You did that. Secondly, who else would we think you’re talking about? Kevin Love? A young puppy like Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown from a couple of seasons ago? Is that who we would think you’re talking about? Of course not.
“Of course everybody is going to assume that you’re talking about LeBron James, especially when you’re talking to Kevin Durant.”
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