While the NBA is expected to judge the videos circulating on social media of Kyrie Irving without a mask at what appears to be a family birthday party, everything seems to indicate that the Brooklyn Nets guard will not be returning to the team’s lineup this time around. week, sources said ESPN.
Irving has already been banned from his fourth straight game against Denver on Tuesday-evening, and sources say he will at least miss Wednesday’s game against New York and Saturday’s game against Orlando. His absence has been attributed to personal reasons.
In the videos, widely shared Monday night, a smiling Irving dances with his sister Asia on a confetti-strewn floor and claps as she blows out candles. If the video is found to be recent, that behavior could be a violation of the competition’s coronavirus protocols.
The league’s COVID-19 guidelines prohibit players from going to clubs, bars and lounges. They also prohibit more than 15 people from attending social gatherings.
This research comes during a turbulent week in which the competition is re-evaluating its health and safety rules for the coronavirus. The league canceled three games this week as positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing quarantines increased.
The NBA board of directors will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, sources said Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN. The team’s general managers received a phone call on Monday that focused on adjusting protocols.
The NBA has investigated other health and safety violations this season. In December, Black Sports Online posted a video of James Harden partying, without a mask, allegedly during a Christmas celebration at the Houston club. Following an investigation, the league fined the Houston Rockets star $ 50,000 and quarantined him for four days while testing daily for COVID-19.
If a player misses a match due to a COVID-19 violation, he will lose 1/72 of his salary according to competition rules.