NBA Rumors: Kyrie Irving Has Become ‘Disengaged’ From Celtics Teammates

https://nesn.com/2019/03/nba-rumors-kyrie-irving-has-become-disengaged-from-celtics-teammates/



NBA Rumors: Kyrie Irving Has Become ‘Disengaged’ From Celtics Teammates



by Mike Cole
on Mon, Mar 4, 2019 at 12:05PM




It seems as if Kyrie Irving’s outward discontent is legitimate.

The Boston Celtics guard has become increasingly moody and decreasingly chatty amid what’s turning into a season to forget for the Green.

Irving seemingly is out of answers after yet another loss Sunday — this one to the Houston Rockets at TD Garden — and a report from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor seems to indicate the 26-year-old is growing increasingly unhappy.

“Sources around the team told me that Irving’s persona has changed, too: He’s become disengaged and detached from those around the team,” O’Connor wrote Monday.

The taxing season apparently has Irving changing his tune about his future. Irving told fans before the season he planned to sign a long-term contract extension with the Celtics, and according to O’Connor, Irving told his teammates the same thing. However, O’Connor also alluded to “talk that Irving’s friendships on the team start and end with (Jayson) Tatum.”

That Irving’s only “friend” might be Tatum is somewhat ironic. They share an agent, but Tatum also is seen as the potential linchpin in an offseason trade with the New Orlean Pelicans for superstar big man Anthony Davis.

It’s long seemed like the Celtics’ plan is to acquire Davis and pair him with Irving, but that process wasn’t without risk. First, we might be seeing the fallout of what happens when just about every single player is named in trade rumors. And second, there was no guarantee Irving was going to stay — despite what he said — and if all went poorly, it would make for an ugly scene for the Green Team.

It certainly feels like that ugly scene is playing out right now.



bob
MY NOTE:  If you remember, Kyrie's teammates in Cleveland also said he was "becoming disengaged", just before he told management he wanted to be traded.  Apparently leading his own team is a lot harder on him than he thought.  He is sounding more and more like Kevin Durant was when he was just about done in OKC.  KD is an amazing player but he isn't a leader off the court, he just wants to step on the court and ball.  It appears Kyrie is much the same.  He doesn't want to answer the tough questions.  He doesn't want to be the person everybody looks at when the team loses and you want someone to step up and lead the charge.  He just wants to step on the court, ball, and then go home.


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A lot on this board don’t want him back, many still want him for various and obvious reasons. Me I’m happy with him, if he leaves I can deal with that too....

I’ve heard many reasons both ways, Kyries game is at its peak right now, all the teams we beat last year have improved big time. Kyrie as great as he is, can’t do it by himself, he’s spectacular, but he’s not the end all. The team for many reasons has not jelled like last year, proving a theory in life, less is more. We will all see everything unfold, maybe we turn it up a notch and get to Finals....wouldn’t think that is possible by the team’s recent play, but that’s the beauty of sports, the unknown. This is as much about him auditioning for the franchise, he has to prove he is that good, that he deserves that max contract. I’d like it to work out, I have no problem rooting for this team with more picks and moves without Kyrie too....

Cow, I am with you. Let's see if Kyrie can rally the troops before we burn down the house with him in it. He is not taking too many shots. He is efficient. He is scoring, passing, rebounding, playing D, and getting assists. Maybe he is not inspiring his team, but they are simply not shooting well. Is that on Kyrie? I am waiting for the team to gel and praying for a miracle.

What I do know is Jaylen needs more minutes with the starters, Morris needs less, and Tatum needs to step up. I've written off Terry. The lineups are on Brad as are the time outs when the opponents are making a run.

On another note. I have a crew here fro. Seattle helping me with my shipwreck search. The leader Krist was on a flight from Seattle to Detroit just before the All Star game en route here, and he sat right next to one William Felton Russell, a dude so tall he had to back into the airplane's bathroom. It turns out that Bill is a gear head. Znd they talked the whole way about fast cars. The flight crew and several passengers asked Bill for his autograph, but Krist didn't.He just enjoyed a several hour conversation with Mr. MVP. BTW, Krist and his brother Marc Geriene just published a book on Amazon, Finding Your Treasure, Without Losing Your Life. I highly recommend it.

Krist's story reminds me that my old girlfriend Judy Garland, no, not that Judy Garland, lived near Bill Russell in Massachusetts, and her father a doctor was one of Bill's good friends. They often had him amd his wife over for dinner and vice versa...and basketball was not the focus of their conversation. Bill Russell is one very intelligent, well rounded gentleman. Judy was in her early teens at the time, could care less about basketball, but thought Bill was a great guy.

Great story worse

My son and I debate this all the time, he says Jayson is going to be better and I say Jaylen. Jayson really hit his stride and a lot of big shots in 4th last year during run in playoffs. This summer he has to get his stroke down, just shoot that 3 ball all day every day this summer, his first 2 months last year he was on a tear. If he can really be a dead eye knockdown shooter, which he sure isn’t this year, the rest of his game will fall in place. Jaylen handle handle handle. Hakeem emulated small forwards, Jaylen should work with guards on all handle skills over and over. That’s what they need this summer, once they get those down, they can add more, but get this down first.