Kyrie Irving meeting with Adam Silver paves way for ‘potential path forward’

Nets star Kyrie Irving finally had his meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday morning. And at least nobody threw oil on the fire.

After seemingly every step of the Irving controversy brought on a stumble, the meeting – demanded by a clearly-vexed Silver last week – appeared to go off without a hitch.

It was a “productive and understanding visit” according to The Athletic. A source close to the situation confirmed the meeting to The Post, but would not expound on any details. Still, it paves the way for Irving and Brooklyn to “work through his steps on a potential path forward.”

Those steps are unlikely to be without issue.

The Nets suspended Irving for a minimum of five games without pay after the All-Star shared an antisemitic movie on Twitter and Instagram, then dug in his heels and refused to apologize in multiple testy exchanges with the media.

Silver – who is Jewish – has at times drawn criticism for being too deliberate and slow to act. But he issued a terse statement last week condemning Irving’s actions and vowed to meet with the Brooklyn star this week.

“Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,” Silver said at the time.

“While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation league to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and hateful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.”

Now they’ve finally had their meeting, and it appears to have at least moved the situation forward rather than backwards.

Brooklyn not only suspended Irving without pay – set to cost him over $2 million in salary, with Wednesday’s Knicks tilt the fourth of his five-game ban – but then levied a number of conditions that have to be met for his return.

Some have suggested that they actually doubt Irving will meet all the conditions, or that they are overly onerous in an attempt to chasten him.

The Nets are reportedly demanding that Irving publicly apologize for the Oct. 27 social media links to the anti-Semitic film; complete anti-hate classes (including donating $500,000); complete sensitivity training; complete anti-hate/anti-Semitic training; meet with Jewish leaders (including the ADL); and meet with team owner Joe Tsai, whose texts he reportedly ignored.

The NBPA – of which Irving has been a vice president since 2020 – has steadfastly defended the Nets star in the past. And on Monday, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown – like Irving, an NBPA VP – said he expects the union to appeal.

“I’ve been talking to Kyrie,” Brown told the Boston Globe. “I’ve talked to Adam, I talked to Tamika [Tremaglio, NBPA executive director], I’ve talked to pretty much everybody about this situation. 

“But I’m expecting the NBPA to appeal the suspension from Brooklyn. The terms, etc., that went into his return. The terms for his return, they seem like a lot, and a lot of the players expressed discomfort with the terms.”