Multiple teams that were said to have interest in pursuing Kyrie Irving this summer are having second thoughts, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes. Irving will undoubtedly land a max contract, though his list of suitors may not be as long as anticipated just months ago.
The pause on Irving is a byproduct of how he ended his campaign with the Celtics. Two clubs are telling people around the league that they will only go after the point guard if another marquee free agent says he wants to play with Irving. Bulpett writes that the main target for each of these franchises is a different player and one of the teams had concerns that ownership would overrule the front office and dictate an Irving pursuit, though those concerns have been alleviated.
The talk behind the scenes is all over the place. Bulpett heard months ago that a source within the Knicks‘ front office was convinced that Irving and Kevin Durant were coming to New York. However, the scribe hears from an NBA agent that Irving wants the Nets and Durant favors the Knicks, thus causing a dilemma in the duo teaming up. Someone within the Warriors‘ organization tells Bulpett that Irving and Durant definitely spoke about the possibility of joining forces and Bulpett hears from another source that the Brooklyn talk is just a smokescreen.
The Celtics continue to hold out hope that Irving will re-sign with the team. It was reported earlier in the week that the front office believed that trading for Anthony Davis would make Irving warm up to the idea of returning. Irving has a Nike commercial in which he has his number retired in Boston and the organization hopes that becomes reality.
Two summers ago when Irving demanded a trade from the Cavs, some front offices were told by his camp that he would not re-sign with them. Some executives got the feeling that Irving got exactly what he wanted with the trade to Boston.
“We were told that the team he wanted to go to was getting ready to trade for him,” one general manager tells Bulpett. “And that team was Boston. So the Celtics were where he wanted to go. He got what he wanted. Now here we are two years later. Crazy.”
some people are starting to realize how much of a headache this guy is.
I think it’s unfair to judge him just by what’s transpired with the Celtics. Was it that he was a bad leader or was it that he had a bunch of entitled and talented young players that didn’t like him on the team from start because it cost them minutes and opportunity.
While the move from the Cavs was a bad one it had a lot to do with him not wanting to be under his shadow and maybe he was jealous with the special treatment the Cavs showed him and his team?
If the right teams hands over they keys to the car and build around him as the engine then maybe he can find a mutually agreeable situation.
Yeah, it makes you wonder why LeBron let him leave Cleveland without trying to persuade him to stay.
He tried after the damage was done. Irving’s future wishlist looked handleable, and was in the past, until things snowballed after the leak. This came out in the post-mortem.
GM Griffin was already gone after not getting a raise. He was the Irving-fixer and dare I say possibly the list-leaker.
Alas.
He’ll have numerous suitors. This article us ridiculous.
Not according to comment sections here. A lot here think he like Lebron is a team cancer that makes their tean worse.
Anyone that thinks LeBron makes his team “worse” should never be allowed to watch basketball again.
Read the comments in any Lebron article here
Yeah haters.
I don’t understand the hatred of LeBron. He certainly makes teams better, witness the 9 conference championships in a row with Miami and Cleveland and 4 NBA titles.
3 NBA titles…
I once saw someone say that the Cavaliers won the championship because of Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson, not LeBron.
Not kidding.
You didn’t hear? That guy was is a current ward of the State of Ohio’s finest mental health facilities.
Your comment is why TR needs a thumbs up option. I’m not a huge fan of LeBron, but he is clearly one of the best and seems to be a better guy than many.
People don’t understand there’s a price to winning that some players are ill-equipped to handle. Those thoughts ran rampant when KD made those claims about a toxic environment. I question if he meant to use the word “toxic” because it led some to believe LBJ was the cause as opposed to the way others react to him (the media and others) rather than something he did. I think moving from a OKC team that was within 1 game of beating GSW to then JOINING that same team gives me pause that although a 2x finals champ he himself may not posses the character to lead men into battle AND be mainly held responsible fpr when his team loses.
Yeah, LBJ is going to demand a lot from his teammates. Largely in terms of preparation and mental readiness. Guys like LBJ have high sports IQ. But seldom make great coaches because while they excel at understanding the game, the xs and os and what it takes to win they aren’t equiped to handle those lacking in those areas. It’s the reason why you seldom see a success coach or manager, whom themselves had stellar careers as players. Those guys demand a lot of their teammates. Some might do a better job of relaying that message. Jordan is crituqued as being not the best teammate. Magic is beloved. LBJ is somewhere in the middle.
Knicks were convinced Kyrie and KD were coming to New York, just like they were convinced they’d get Zion? Best place for Kyrie is LA with Lebron
They were NEVER convinced they’d get Zion since it was always a 14% chance of getting him.. WTF are u talking about?
You’re correct that rational Knicks fans knew there was a 14% chance but the key word is rational
Best place for Durant is to stay at GS….he gets max $$$….
What purpose would a Brooklyn smokescreen serve?
If Irving does not move, Boston should move Tatum and Rozier, who have established no on-court relationship with Irving. It is hard to do that with Irving but hard to win in general without doing that.
Brown has more potential in this area.
Kyrie is Melo 2.0 a me first guy who thinks he is the answer. They both were secondary pieces and a cancer because of their attitude and the me first on the court. Dolan is so stupid he will sign Kyrie and they will be a constant lottery team.
They already are constantly a lottery team. Kyrie is a star no matter how you try and spin it. If he is willing to sign with them NYK should be all over it
Kyrie played a key part on a championship team and a few conference champions
Yeah, Kyrie > Melo by a lot.
I don’t care where Kyrie goes but a max contract for the guy is what’s baffling.
As a Nets’ fan, I’d rather keep D’lo than sign Kyrie. If Durant would come with D’lo aboard, wonderful! If not, Nets can’t afford two max players now, so Durant wouldn’t be coming even if they signed Kyrie. Per another article here, Butler is more likely.
im not a fan of shoot first point guards – especially with the talent the celtics had, their youngens should of done the heavy lifting. it’s a simple game
Simple in theory, much tougher to execute.
Only 2 teams matter, and they’re not wary. Ainge is going to make every effort to keep him. Presumably, the Knicks every effort to get him, although who knows with the stooges.