Kyrie Irving will be the Knicks’ top target in free agency next summer, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston said in an appearance on the Bulls talk podcast (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports).
Irving is expected to opt out of a $21.3MM salary for next season and become part of a stellar free agent class that will also include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson. The Knicks will have enough cap room to make a maximum offer if they use the stretch provision on Joakim Noah, and team officials see Irving as the best fit and most accessible target.
“I can tell you right now, the New York Knicks, he is their No. 1 target,” Blakely said. “I’ve spoken with people within that organization. They have made it absolutely crystal clear to me that, if they had their pick of guys that are going to be in the free agent market this summer, Kyrie would be their first, second, third and fourth choice.”
Irving is about to enter his second season with the Celtics after being acquired from Cleveland last summer. He missed the playoffs after having surgery on his left knee late in the season, but has reportedly made a full recovery and is expected to be ready for training camp. Irving posted a 24.4/3.8/5.1 line in 60 games last season.
Boston is hoping to re-sign Irving, of course, but the team will be faced with some tough financial choices. Terry Rozier, who excelled in the playoffs in Irving’s absence, is entering a contract year, Marcus Morris will be a free agent and Al Horford and Aron Baynes can join Irving in opting out of their 2019/20 deals.
Kyrie with a healthy KP and Knox in year 2! That leaves Rozier to get the starting PG job in Boston.
If Boston doesn’t make the Finals Kyrie is gone.
So if KD and Irving are to sign with the Knicks for the max, Knicks would turn KD down according to Blakely?
KD is making 30 million bucks a year winning rings in the bay area with the best coach, best team, and best front office. Why do people think he wants to leave?
Maybe because he prefers not to sign a long term deal with Golden State?
Us Warrior and Celtic fans will stick together, and let these goofy people talk all they want. Durant said he signed another discount contract so he can sign a 5 year contract next summer with the Warriors. Next summer is the first time the Warriors will have Bird rights with Durant. Free agents don’t want to sign with New York because of the way James Dolan runs the organization.
I’m not saying KD is leaving. I am just mocking Knicks.
This is old news. Kyrie talked with the Celtics this past summer and they agreed they would be together long term. Kyrie declined extension to get more money. Seriously, do you take less money with one of the worst run organizations in the NBA, or more money with top management and a team expected to be in the Finals the next several years. Like Houston, Boston has said they are willing to spend the money to compete for championships.
Kyrie said openly for years that he’s open to playing for the Knicks and playing in the Garden. That was his dream growing up as a kid in Jersey. Someone will stop making the Knicks a mockery in the NBA, why not Kyrie (along with KP and Jimmy)?
When the Celtics were talking about bidding for Kawhi, the Celtics and Kyrie got together. The Celtics told him they had no intention of trading him, and wanted him long term. Kyrie agreed he wanted to remain a Celtic, and ESPN has reported the Celtics are the odds on favorites to sign Kyrie. This was reported recently. Brad Stevens has said he won’t talk to Kyrie about free agency, he’ll let the Celtics winning this season speak for itself. Other than speaking to the Celtics, Kyrie hasn’t spoken to anyone about free agency. I’ll get my info from Boston. It’ll be more reliable.
NESN… Yup, more trustworthy than ESPN, SI, Sporting News, Bleacher Report, CBS, NBC and the NBA’s own radio station on Sirius XM.
Fact of the matter is no one knows what the reality is. Everyone thought Bron and Kyrie were tight until the rumors started. If Kyrie could turn on an organization that drafted him and he won a championship with do you 100% really believe there’s NOT a chance he leaves even if he wins it all with the Cs?
Says you. This report made national syndication. Kyrie isn’t leaving Boston. Get over it. Brian Windhorst is the one reporting that Kyrie spoke to the Celtics this summer. The Celts are winners. The Knicks are losers. It makes a difference. Kyrie left Cleveland because he was 2nd fiddle to LeBron. He’s not 2nd fiddle in Boston. He has said he loves Boston and the organization. You are talking hot air!
And like I said, unless you know Kyrie and talk to him personally no one knows the real truth.
And here’s video of Windhorst not denying the possibility:
link to espn.com
All I’m saying is Cav fans had more reason to believe Kyrie than C fans that he would be running with their team. Anything can happen…
Read below. These are what ESPN guys said. Quotes, I looked them up. I’ll take their word over yours.
It has also been reported recently that Tom Thibedeaux says he hasn’t spoken to Butler about anty internal problems, and he believes he will re sign.
See quotes from Windhorst, Woj, and Arnovitz from ESPN saying they believe Kyrie will remain with the Celtics.
KI will be a Knick.
Celtics are a cancerous franchise, filled with a bunch of snakes. Historically they throw all there best players to the side for what benefits there team. Pierce, kg, rondo, IT the list goes on. Kyrie will leave celtics if they dont win anything this year. Him, butler, knox, kp quartet is pretty lethal especially in the east. Outside of kyrie who do the celtics have? Broken leg hayward? One dimensional ball hog tatum? Jaylen “cant shoot outside” brown? Al “I cant believe anyone signed me for this much” horford? Rozier is a bum just look at last year against cleveland, celtics would be wise to lock up kyrie asap.
Pierce and kg were past their primes, rondo and Stevens didn’t see eye to eye and it was a fan favorite but wasn’t seen as a true pg the Celtics need. But your right Celtics are cancerous lol, go back to asking your mom for your school sandwiches bro
What a silly comment!
Ok Mio, I didn’t know you were in the room when C’s management and Kyrie had this discussion of him staying long term.
The guy has said repeatedly that he’ll have a better sense of what he would like to do closer to the end of the year. I think he’ll go into FA, listen to offers, not just immediately resign with the C’s. Does he stay in Boston, there’s a decent chance, but it wouldn’t shock me if he leaves either.
Lol. We’ll see!
I agree with the sports guys. It’ll be the Warriors and Celtics the next several years. No Lakers. It was an LA guy, Brian Windhorst that said he expects Kyrie to remain a Celtic. Another ESPN guy reported this on ESPN’s the Jump!!
That’s a smart strategy. So when they whiff on Kyrie they can tell KD and Klay and Kawhi they were 5th, 6th, n 7th choice.
Hoops Hype 4 weeks ago; “ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz’ My best intel is that the Celtics and Irving have a mutual understanding that he wasn’t going to get traded in the offseason and that there are long term aspirations for both parties. Anything can happen in an eight-month season, but I kind of like him staying.”
NBAHoopsrumors- August 27th, Dana Garuder- Thibodeux Shoots Down Chemistry Concerns-Says it hasn’t come out of Butler’s mouth that there is a chemistry concern, Minnesota can offer him the most money, and is optimistic that the Wolves will re-sign him.
Hoops Hype 2 weeks ago: “Adrian Wojnarowski’ I still would take Boston against the rest of the field because I still think in the end, there comes a moment of truth when you look around and you have to make a decision about somewhere else. And when you start inspecting the questions that are in almost any circumstance you’d go to, you’d say “Boy it looks pretty good here.””
@ Stark, from NESN, “During Thursdays edition of The Jump (August 30, 2018), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reflected on Irvings jump to Boston, noting the 5 time All Star “struck gold” by joing the C’s.” Windhorst says he would be shocked if Kyrie Irving left the Celtics.
Who cares if he stays or he goes. I don’t, many other players I do care much more. Boring all the Kyrie stay/go talk.