Redemption, erasure, complexity in human relations and Kyrie Irving

Normal people keep the world going, but controversial people give us a lot to talk about.

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

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Rockets and Blue Lights (Close at Hand) to Warn Steamboats of Shoal Water; J.M.W. Turner; 1840

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Precursor warning: if you find anything I say in this piece to be objectionable or confusing, please extend me the grace to know that, without an editor, I’m free climbing here. Nuance is hard on the internet. Comments are open to subscribers.

Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo! Sports had an in-depth piece on Kyrie Irving with lots of reflection from the Mavericks guard. It’s well worth reading to get a taste of how Irving sees his own arc. In the piece, Goodwill acknowledged Irving’s controversial issues in Brooklyn without minimizing them. This is rare. So much of the Kyrie arc that we’ve heard in recent weeks and that we’ll experience in the coming days glosses over why Kyrie was suspended, denied a max-level extension and eventually traded for a single draft pick and two role players.

That Kyrie Irving is helping lead a new team to the NBA Finals now doesn’t erase the unexplained absences in Brooklyn, the refusal to vaccinate in Brooklyn, the promotion of anti-Semitic material in Brooklyn, the trade demand in Brooklyn after failing to reach agreement on extension talks, the decision to pick up a player option in Brooklyn when free agency seemed suddenly dry because of everything else, the renewed trade demand after a pretty good start to the season under a new-old coach in Brooklyn that led to the co-star also demanding a trade.