I still can’t believe this. Barclays should be burned to the ground. This was a battle of ego. Marks and Tsai felt punked and tried to discipline Kyrie thru the media. Massive fail. They listened to Stephen A smith who is a KNICKs Fan instead of their players.
In all fairness I doubt Stephen A Smith is the straw that broke the camel’s back on this. Kyrie been out of control since he got there, undermining Steve Nash’s authority, missing games to throw birthday bashes, alienating Harden, Etc. Hell the ONLY way you can get away with that stuff is if you win CHAMPIONSHIPS or at least take the team to the finals. Thats why everyone who calls Bron “LeGM” HAS to at least do so with a modicum of respect on it. You can’t come IN dictating shyt to these rich white dudes without following up your end of the bargain but for so long before they lash out.
If anything, the REAL mistake wasn’t disciplining Irving, it was not fostering an independent and healthy relationship with KD separate FROM Irving. Yea we all know they came as a package deal, but KD was, is, and remains the better player. They should have tried to move heaven and earth to sell KD on the FRANCHISE and their willingness to win a Chip with him as the centerpiece, which is what he wants to finally cement his “legacy” as THE Man. They should have sold him on a KD/Harden future that didn’t necessarily include Irving. KD/Harden WITH the potential of someone of Simmons or anyone else they could have packaged Irving for is still a championship caliber team.
But all of this is all hindsight of course. Main thing is you can’t blame upper management in THIS particular situation for saying enough is enough. They just should have done it a season ago
let's get that ring. I still BELIEVE
