"Hearts in the right place off the court, wants to do good things for good for people" - Stephen A. Smith calls out Kyrie Irving for lack of accountability

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been a topic of discussion for multiple reasons, with his off-court activities grabbing the spotlight. Well-known sports analyst Stephen A. Smith shares what he thinks of Irving as an NBA player.

Kyrie Irving had a spectacular 2021-22 season despite the ruckus he caused in the beginning. His refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine was the reason he missed out on a lot of games. Thankfully, the mayor of New York City lifted the vaccine mandate that allowed the 2016 champion to play the remaining games for the Brooklyn Nets.

Appearing only 29 games, Irving was still able to post decent numbers. Uncle Drew averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He shot 47% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc.

Known as a jarring critic when it comes to athletes, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith appeared on an episode of the I AM ATHLETE podcast. Stephen A. was able to share his thoughts on Kyrie Irving and didn't hold back in calling the seven-time All-Star out.

"Kyrie is a spectacular talent who works hard works on his craft." Stephen A. said, "Conscientious brother, hearts in the right place. Off the court, wants to do good things for good for people, wants to be helpful, not a bad person at all."

"He's got something that all of y'all can speak on, you got certain cats that everything is okay, as long as they do it on their terms. If you ask them to do it on somebody else's terms, they got a problem with it."

Smith concluded with this take on Irving:

"When you got your hand out for somebody else's money, you got to capitulate to something. You can't just sit up there and do what you want to do."

As harsh as Smith's comments are regarding Irving, one could argue that he is right with his criticism of the star.

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The 2022-23 season might be Kyrie Irving's last with the Nets

During the offseason, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets headlined almost all of the news. Kevin Durant's trade request spurred a ton of trade rumors regarding Irving.

Irving's name has been tossed around the league concerning trade talks since the start of last season. Irving has almost become synonymous with trades that aren't even related to him. Before free agency began, the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year opted into the final year of his contract. Later, people speculated that Irving might get dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers, who were looking for a trade partner.

Throughout the entire offseason, he became part of numerous trade rumors related to the Lakers. He was linked to be part of the exchange package that would've sent Russell Westbrook to the Nets.

Luckily for Irving, Durant's decision to stay in Brooklyn secured his place in the team for next season. However, no one is sure if the Nets are interested in offering Irving another long-term deal.

There is a huge probability that Kyrie Irving will suit up for a different team by the time the 2023-24 season starts.