By: Nina Cray
Prior to this NBA season, the Nets were highly favored and expected by many to play for a championship.
However, Nets fans were disappointed, and some were surprised to see the Nets leave the postseason without a single win after being swept by the Boston Celtics.
Brooklyn has Kevin Durant on lock for a while – the superstar signed a contract extension last offseason that will keep him in Brooklyn until after the 2025-26 campaign, but what about Kyrie Irving?
The Nets may be hesitant to offer an extension to Irving for a multitude of reasons – especially after the events of this season. Kyrie’s injury history wouldn’t be appealing to any team seeking a long-term commitment, and his refusal to get vaccinated cost the superstar – and the team – valuable season wins.
Going forward, Brooklyn is simply being more cautious when it comes to the guard, especially with the possibility that New York could reinstate a vaccine mandate, sidelining Kyrie yet again.
Irving has expressed his desire to stay with the Nets, but it should be noted as well that he has a $36.5 million player option that he could decline this summer – making him an unrestricted free agent.
Senior NBA writer Kristian Winfield said that if Kyrie Irving does depart from the Nets, it might frustrate superstar Kevin Durant – Kyrie being a prime reason he wanted to play with them.
He wrote, “If Irving leaves the Nets, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Durant becomes frustrated with the organization’s ability to put championship pieces around him.”
Despite negotiations definitely being in the works, the Nets haven’t offered a comment at this time.
Sources:
May 25th, 2022. SB Nation Nets Daily. “As free agency gets closer, negotiations begin.” <https://www.netsdaily.com/2022/5/25/23141588/with-free-agency-getting-closer-negotiations-have-begun>
Wysong, David. April 27th, 2022. Sportscasting. “Kyrie Irving Contract: is the Nets Guard a Free Agent in 2022?” <https://www.sportscasting.com/kyrie-irving-contract-is-nets-guard-free-agent-2022/>
Wimbish, Jasmyn. May 25th, 2022. CBS Sports. “Nets unwilling to give Kyrie Irving long-term contract, per report.” <https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nets-unwilling-to-give-kyrie-irving-long-term-contract-extension-per-report/>
MAY 26.2022 AT 10
Prayer vigil at the Michigan Baptist Church
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Public Schools are taking additional safety measures in response to a number of social media threats.
The school district posted a message to their website, saying the community can expect “consistent police presence” near and around school buildings.
“Throughout the day, our district was made aware of multiple social media threats targeting retail locations, dining locations, sporting events, etc. The district was even made aware of a generalized threat on a social media post naming schools in multiple districts including Buffalo Public Schools.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Buffalo Police Department, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations do not believe the messages posted to be credible threats. However, know that the district is taking additional safety measures. As such, you can expect to see consistent police presence near and around our school buildings. Thank you.”
BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The two locations of Elmwood Village Charter School are also taking precautions on Wednesday. At both buildings, a “hold-in-place” procedure is in effect and there is an increased police presence.
source:https://www.wivb.com/news/education/buffalo-public-schools/bps-to-have-consistent-police-presence-near-schools/
BUFFALO, NY – Civil rights attorney Ben Crump vowed Thursday to sue “everybody” who was an accomplice to the Buffalo supermarket shooting, including the gunman’s parents, as relatives of those killed sobbed for their loved ones and begged for action.
“We absolutely intend on going after the gun manufacturers, the gun distributors and anybody else who was an accomplice to this young 18-year-old white supremacist,” Crump said during an afternoon press conference outside the Antioch Baptist Church in Buffalo.
“We intend on going after everybody that was an accomplice to this young monster killing these innocent people.”
Crump and the Rev. Al Sharpton gathered in front of the church with the relatives of four people who were shot to death allegedly by Payton Gendron, 18, at the Tops Friendly Market on Saturday in a hate-fueled massacre that targeted black people.
source:https://nypost.com/2022/05/19/ben-crump-vows-to-sue-accomplices-to-buffalo-shooting/
By: Nina Cray
The Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, was very emotional prior to his team’s game on Tuesday, May 24th, after giving a moving plea for gun reform following the shooting of a Texas elementary school – not even a month after the Buffalo, N.Y. supermarket shooting.
Kerr made it very clear that he did not want to talk about basketball before the game, instead discussing the gun violence and condemning failed political action on fundamental gun laws.
“I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there,” said Kerr. “I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough.”
Kerr went on to call out senators who have failed to act on H.R. 8, a Bipartisan Background Checks Act that was approved by the House over a year ago.
The Senate first received the act in March of 2021, and despite 90% of the public currently supporting required universal background checks, there were no further updates to its status.
Kerr expressed the outrage America feels at yet another group of innocent lives taken for no apparent reason to gun violence.
Fifty senators were called out in Kerr’s speech – he said instead of putting H.R. 8 to a vote, despite what the American people want, they would rather hold on to their own power.
“It’s pathetic,” Kerr said. “I’ve had enough.”
Sources:
Chappell, Bill. May 25th, 2022. NPR. “NBA coach Steve Kerr calls out 50 senators on bipartisan gun background check law.” <https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1101169867/uvalde-shooting-steve-kerr-coach-golden-state-warriors-nba-playoffs>
Please click the link below to read this story.
Candace Parker makes WNBA history in win against the Mystics
By: Nina Cray
Two-time WNBA MVP and Olympic-gold medalist Candace Parker, 36, finished Sunday’s game (May 22nd) with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. This makes Parker just the 3rd player in WNBA history with multiple triple-doubles. She is the first with multiple regular-season triple-doubles.
Parker completed her triple-double in the final minute of the Chicago Sky vs. Mystics win with an assist to Courtney Vandersloot. The final score of the game was 82-73.
“She was adamant about me getting my 10th assist,” Parker said about her teammate Vandersloot. “So, you know that’s why I love this group. You know, I think we play for another, we get hype for others’ successes and we celebrate it, and I think that’s huge.”
This feat marks just the 11th triple-double in the league’s 26 seasons, and Parker is the oldest to do it.
Parker joins Sheryl Swoops and Courtney Vandersloot as the only WNBA players to have multiple triple-doubles.
Previously in her career, on July 28th, 2017, Parker had a triple-double with 11 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists.
Her impressive game Sunday also marked her 143rd career double-double, putting her at 4th in the WNBA.
Parker played 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks prior to playing with the Chicago Sky. She said her daughter, Lailaa, persuaded her to play in 2022, and after her first five games she is averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds and shooting 49.1 percent from the field.
Parker and the Chicago Sky take action next on Tuesday, May 24th at 8PM.
Sources:
May 23rd, 2022. Chicago Sky. “Candace Parker Makes WNBA History With Second Career Triple-Double in Win vs. Mystics, 82-73.” <https://sky.wnba.com/news/candace-parker-makes-wnba-history-with-second-career-triple-double-in-win-vs-mystics-82-73/>
Easterling, Evan. May 22, 2022. The New York Times. “At 36, Candance Parker Posts a Triple-Double, a W.N.B.A. Rarity.” <https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/22/sports/basketball/candace-parker-triple-double-wnba.html>