Three of the NBA’s four conference semifinals appear very much up in the air, as they head into their respective Game Fives all tied up at 2-2. However, with a second consecutive resounding road victory over the Celtics on Monday, the Bucks took a 3-1 lead and now have up to three chances to end Boston’s season.
If the Bucks can finish off the series at home in Game Five, Monday’s loss might be the last time that fans ever see Irving wear a Celtics uniform in Boston. And if that’s the case, then it wasn’t a particularly memorable end to a short-lived era.
As Jay King of The Athletic details, Irving headed to the Celtics’ locker room before the game was officially over on Monday, with fans in Boston booing the club’s second straight home dud. After the game, Irving bristled when he was asked about his shooting woes (he’s 19-of-62 in the team’s last three games), as Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes.
“Who cares?” Irving said of his slump. “I’m a basketball player. Prepare the right way. Like I said, it’s a little different when your rhythm is challenged every play down. You’re being picked up full court. They’re doing things to test you. The expectations on me are going to be sky high.
“I try to utilize their aggression against them and still put my teammates in a great position, while still being aggressive. I’m trying to do it all. For me, the 22 shots, I should have shot 30. I’m that great of a shooter.”
While Irving isn’t necessarily wrong, his defiant attitude with the Celtics on the brink may not be the best look, according to Forsberg, who suggests that Boston’s star point guard probably should’ve expressed more frustration and disappointment with himself.
A second-round exit looks like a near certainty for the C’s, in which case Irving’s upcoming free agency will be more interesting than ever. Although he vowed before the season that he intended to stick around long-term, Irving backtracked on that promise during a drama-filled season, and it’s hard to imagine he’ll be eager to re-up with Boston after what has been a disappointing year. The possibility of an Anthony Davis trade could entice him to stay, but that’s no certainty.
Appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up” this morning, analyst Jalen Rose declared that Irving is “done in Boston,” adding that his teammates will probably “help him pack,” since they won’t mind seeing him go (video link).
What do you think? Is it premature to assume Irving will sign elsewhere in free agency, or do you agree with Rose that we’re seeing his last games as a Celtic?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!
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Even thou Miami doesn’t have money now I think they might be a frontrunner for Irving. They could attach picks and big contracts to teams that aren’t getting anyone good this summer like the Knicks, sun, hawks, and kings. Salary dump and Irving’s friendship with dion might somehow work. Just a thought I just hate the Celtics but like Irving…. and Morris
Since when are Irving and Dion friends? They seem to clash with each other when they were together in Cleveland. They are both two guys who need the ball all the time. Also, I don’t see Kyrie going to a team that won’t be able to bring in another big star this year.
I know that the Knicks have less talent than Miami but I feel like Kyrie might sign there (or Brooklyn) if KD or Butler are joining him.
Kyrie is one of my favorite players but his disposition and the way he handles adversity in front of the media needs a lot of work. Not sure if he or Durant can handle the NY media.
Oh they clashed. Would again probably
Vegas has BKN with #1 odds for Kyrie. There must be something to it. Maybe Sean Marks has a S&T DLo, Jarrett Allen and pick 17 trade lined up with Grif in NO for AD. The Pels get a 23yo All-Star in DLo, a 20yo promising replacement for AD in Allen and a 1st. If the Nets can get out from under Crabbe then another big piece could be added like Mirotic or Randle. 2019-20 Nets Lineup:
PG- Kyrie
SG- J Harris
SF- Levert
PF- Mirotic
C – AD
6th- Dinwiddie
He is going to the lakers….lebron trying hard to have a revamped cavs squad in lakers unis. Kyrie will be the lakers only free agent signee this summer. Kawhi will go to the clips or stay with raptors. Klay and kd will resign with gsw. Butler will probably land with nets or knicks. Lakers will then try to acquire ad and roll another big three. Ad finding out about kyrie leaving only closes the door on a trade there because he wont resign celtics will give up little. I see our pick in this draft along with kuzma, hart, wagner being available. Lakers will roll with lonzo at 1 kyrie at 2 ingram at 3 lebron at 4 and ad at the five. Depending on whose level barring a trade i can see lakers sign some aging vets to flesh out bench. Yet again lebron will get all the credit for something he was merely a part of. lebron will end his career with 5 chips and finish 5-6 in finals.
I doubt he would follow LBJ to LA. The storyline would scream “You’re not a leader and you need LBJ to win”. Don’t think he’s the “eat humble pie type”. Also, I think it would add some unneccesary drama in LA.
Kobe is Irving’s idol and it’s been said that Kobe advised or consulted with Irving as it pertains to his departure from Cleveland. Kobe is Rob Pelinka’s close friend. I don’t think anyone wants a :
Kyrie/Kobe/Pelinka vs LBJ/Lue/Rich Paul perceived faction, whether it would be real or imagined. I think a Kevin Love trade has more of a chance of happening over Irving coming to the Lakers.
I truly wonder if even the Clippers would want Irving as his desire to be a leader of a contender didn’t quite work out in Boston.
Crack is whack! Stay off drugs kid!
kyrie’s dad played in boston, plus he’s already said returning was top priority. he needs another blue chip to make c’s a legit finals team.
The Celtics actually have too much talent as it is. I think that’s the problem. It’s a great collection of talent but it’s proof positive that good on paper doesn’t always mean good on the floor. If they can find a taker for Gordan Heywood, then maybe? But I can’t see Kyrie and Anthony Davis working with the younger kids. Ainge has a tough job ahead of him. He gave up a 1st rounder to get Kyrie and if they don’t win a title, or at least the ECF, and Irving walks, ayos mio what a waste.
Hayward brown and 2 firsts for Davis (assuming signs long term)?
New Orleans says no way
Bull s***. They fired their GM because he wasn’t traded. Owner takes that in a heartbeat.
What about Tatum
Instead of brown? Or think Boston wouldn’t be willing?
No, they won’t do that. Hayward only has 2 years left, and Brown has 1 more year before free agency, unfortunately not a ton to entice NO, would need to throw more in
whatever it takes davis will be a wearing green – celts have 3 first rd picks they’ll be moving up
I could honestly see him retiring since he’s been shown to not be a leader
Sign Rozier and Morris. Rozier had a better playoff season last year than Irving has had this year because he is a team player, and don’t just compare stats. Irving’s statement above says it all about him as a leader and team player. Nearly every player on the team was worse this year than last. That’s not bringing out the best in your teammates!
I think it’s too soon to say Rozier is a future star. I’m not sure if he’s a team leader either. Very easy to excel when there aren’t a lot of expectations. At the end of the day, for his career, Rozier is a terrible 38% shooter from the floor. That’s not star level and he’s not a multi-faceted player like Russ who can do other things of benefit to offset his low FG%.
Rozier would do better as a steady starter. Somebody will give him a shot.
Kyrie can not lead a team. He was great in Cleveland because Lebron was the other team’s focus.
I think he could with the right fit. I think he fell out of favor when he got hurt that 1st year and they were so good without him. Even more pressure put on him when he got back. Plus the expectation a ridiculous in Boston right now.
Good riddance. They were better without him.
See ya. Danny didn’t really give up much to get him, so it’s not a huge loss. The C’s have 3 first rounders this year. Draft well and continue to build.
Kyrie is a jerk! HONDO he is not. Let Danny go in another direction.
Kyrie is a super talent, but his game is a relic. He’s a pure scorer who thrives in iso, but has trouble getting in a rhythm if the ball isn’t in his hands. He’s an average defender who can when motivated play above his ceiling on defense. He’s not a team leader in any other way than on a stat sheet.
Look at the teams that win in the NBA, they have several stars and tend to distribute the ball to everyone with more equity. You can win a regular season in the NBA with your Westbrook model teams where 1-2 guys are the entire team, but you most certainly won’t win a championship that way.
I don’t see a way Kyrie returns, mainly because he spilled too much blood in that locker room with the guys he’s supposed to be helping mature into the players that will help him win. I echo someone’s above sentiment that NY seems like a bad idea, because the media, and lets face it, the Knicks are always a dumpster fire, they’d find a way to screw it up even if they did miraculously land KD and KI, and that would turn his otherwise impressive career into comedy parable you tell your grandkids.
I would like to see the C’s target Kemba when Irving walks, and maybe extend Horford for another few years at a more reasonable rate while also trying to find another big who can spell him if and when the AD dream finally falls through.
Free Kyrie. He will probably be happier in Brooklyn. Let him go where he wants.
Can the C’s do a sign and trade with Kyrie? Or can they trade him to his preferred destination before he opts out ala Houston/Chris Paul?
A sign-and-trade is possible, but there are a lot of factors that make those deals tricky to pull off (and if he’s going to a team with enough cap room to sign him outright, there’s little incentive for him or his new team to do one).
An opt-in and trade is possible too, but given how much lower Kyrie’s option salary ($21.3MM) is than what he could get as a free agent ($32.7MM), it’s also unlikely.
Thanks Luke. Can they trade him before he opts out? Then he can opt out with his new team and sign the mega-extension with them? Isnt that way the clips/rockets did with CP3 last year?
No, a player with a player option can’t be traded unless he opts in, since he’s treated as a pending free agent until he exercises the option.
That’s what Paul had to do to accommodate the trade to the Rockets — he picked up his 2017/18 option so the trade (which was completed in June 2017) would work, then signed a new long-term contract with the Clippers in 2018.