Kyrie Irving has been one of the leading voices among NBA players who say they believe if the league resumes play on July 30 as planned it will shift the attention from the current fight for racial equality.

Irving and Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley have been organizing conference calls with a coalition of players from the NBA and WNBA to discuss the matter.

Irving reportedly has been taking the death of George Floyd particularly hard, and retired NBA player Stephen Jackson — who was a childhood friend of Floyd’s — said that Irving has contacted him in tears about it.

There’s been at least one person who’s been critical of Irving’s belief that the league shouldn’t be played during the protests, and that’s retired NBA center Kendrick Perkins.

Both Irving and Durant could sit out the games in Florida without any additional financial penalty if their Nets teammates return to the court at the end of July.