Just a week after LeBron James became the first NBA player to unequivocally condemn Kyrie Irving’s decision to post a link to an antisemitic film on his Twitter account, the Los Angeles Lakers star took to his own handle on the social media hellsite to argue that Irving’s punishment by the Nets was “excessive.”
Why the quick, seeming about-face? Well, some within the NBA — and inside the Lakers themselves — reportedly believe there is a bit more to it than LeBron simply standing with his fellow union member.
Zach Lowe of ESPN reported on the latest episode of his eponymous “The Lowe Post” podcast that some people within the Lakers think that LeBron was advocating for the team to renew their pursuit of Irving (emphasis mine):
“I don’t know why LeBron said.