Recently-traded Kyrie Irving says he ‘was really disrespected’ at Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving has stated that he was disrespected by the Brooklyn Nets two days after he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks,

“I know I’m going to be at a place where I’m celebrated and not just tolerated,” Irving said following his first practice with Dallas at the University of Southern California on Tuesday.

“There were times throughout this process when I was in Brooklyn where I was really disrespected.”

Why did Irving feel disrespected?

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“That’s another day where I can go into detail about it. I’m not a person to really speak on names and go to someone behind their back and try to leak stuff to the media,” Irving said.

“I need healthy boundaries, especially in this entertainment business. There’s a lot of disrespect that goes on in people’s families and their names. I’m just not with it. It’s nothing personal against any of those guys in the front office. It’s just what I’m willing to accept.”

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Numerous incidents clouded Irving’s three-plus seasons in Brooklyn that included two first-round exits in three playoff appearances. Irving played in only 20 games during his first season in Brooklyn amid overlapping injuries (2019-20).

His availability was further diminished by two leaves of absence (2020-21), a season-long refusal to adhere to New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate that sidelined him for most Nets home games in 2021-22, and finally an eight-game suspension for promoting an antisemitic film (2022-23).

Irving did not offer regret for any of his own contributions to the breakdown of the relationship, including the latter incident that prompted him to apologize on his Instagram page. The post has since been deleted.

“I delete things all the time. It’s no disrespect to anyone within the community. I’m just living my life,” Irving said. “I stand by who I am and why I apologized. I did it because I care about my family. I have Jewish members of my family that care for me deeply.”