The Brooklyn Nets are suspending Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay for his failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.”

Hours after Irving refused to issue the apology that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link to an antisemitic work on his Twitter feed, the Nets said Irving is “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

“We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film.

“This was not the first time he had the opportunity, but failed, to clarify,” the Nets said in a statement.

“Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organisation, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team.

“Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

The seven-times All-Star had earlier met with reporters on Thursday less than an hour after Silver slammed him for showing a lack of remorse.

Irving said he meant no harm in posting the link which he has now deleted, but stopped short of offering the formal apology Silver wanted.

“I didn’t mean to cause any harm,” said Irving. “I’m not the one who made the documentary.”

Irving was also specifically asked whether, in hindsight, he was sorry for the hurt his post had caused people.

“I take my responsibility for posting that,” said Irving. “Some things that were questionable in there, untrue.

“Like I said in the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don’t believe everything that everybody posts. It’s a documentary.”

In a joint statement a day earlier with the Nets and Anti-Defamation League, Irving said he opposed all forms of hatred.

Irving and the Nets also said they would each donate $US500,000 ($A795,000) toward organisations that work to eradicate hate.