“NBA players need the paychecks”- Austin Rivers’ long response to Kyrie Irving on NBA restart

Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers isn’t ready for the ongoing recommendation by Kyrie Irving that NBA 2019-20 season should not restart due to the ongoing ‘Black Lives matter’ movement.

Austin in his long Instagram Post extended support to Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving for the racial injustice that is prevailing in America. However, he was not convinced with Kyrie in terms of not restarting the season on 30th July.

In his post, Austin discusses that if the season didn’t start, huge revenue loss will be there for the companies as well as for the players. He thinks that if the season restarts, the players will earn money, which would help them in extending support to the Americans in an effective manner.

Also Read: Why LeBron James did not join the Kyrie Irving initiated call with 100 NBA players

Austin Rivers’ response to Kyrie Irving

“Us coming back would be putting money in all our (NBA players) pockets. With this money you could help out even more people and continue to give more importantly your time and energy towards the [Black Lives Matter] movement. Which I’m 100% on board with.” Austin emphasised in his Instagram post.

Austin Rivers on Kyrie Irving, restarting the season: “I love Kyrie’s passion towards helping this movement…I’m with it…but in the right way & not at the cost of the whole NBA & players careers. We can do both. We can play & we can help change the way black lives are lived.” pic.twitter.com/GMmyVz9nEF

— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 13, 2020

Irving makes pay  over $30 million every year and his 2019-20 funds are secure in light of the fact that he’s out injured. However, for the other players, especially the one’s not on a fat paycheck, no NBA means, no money.

Luckily for Rivers, his view speaks for the majority of players as many are in favour of restarting the season. A few prominent players are allegedly pushing back on Irving’s movement to not start the NBA season.

Kyrie and a few players feel that if the NBA restarts, the focus of the public would shift from the racial injustice in the country to the current happenings of the NBA, something that might dilute the entire ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.

However, for a lot of NBA players, revenues matter, and as rightly pointed out by Austin Rivers, it helps them contribute to the movement in a better way.