Rivers counters Kyrie, says players returning would help BLM movement

Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers supports participating in the season's resumption in Orlando next month.

Rivers disagrees with Kyrie Irving's reported stance that players shouldn't return to play, arguing that the financial benefits they'll receive could help promote the Black Lives Matter movement far more than sitting out would.

"Trying to find the correlation. Us coming back would be putting money in all our pockets," Rivers wrote on Instagram.

"With this money you could help out even more people and continue to give more importantly your time and energy towards the BLM movement. Which I’m 100% on board with. Because change needs to happen and injustice has been going on too long," he continued.

After saying that lower-paid players outside Irving's superstar pay grade rely on cashing their NBA paycheck, Rivers then touched on basketball's ability to provide much-needed entertainment and a safety net.

"Us (providing) entertainment and hope for kids is important. Also keeping some kids indoors and watching basketball games on TV instead of maybe going out and getting into trouble (due to the unfair and unequal environments a lot of African-American kids are placed in) is important too," Rivers added. "Not saying basketball is a cure for that, but basketball can maybe provide a distraction."

Rivers then noted Irving's passion for supporting the BLM movement is "inspiring," but he also encouraged players to take a stand in a way that doesn't damage careers and set the NBA back.