Terry Rozier wants to leave Celtics if Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward return

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/terry-rozier-wants-leave-celtics-if-kyrie-irving-gordon-hayward-return?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs



Terry Rozier wants to leave Celtics if Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward return



By Darren Hartwell May 14, 2019 12:00 PM



It appears Tuesday was Terry Rozier's official airing of grievances on ESPN.

The Boston Celtics point guard went on "Get Up!" in the morning to discuss the challenges of playing with Kyrie Irving, suggesting Irving's return from offseason knee surgery led to some confusion about the Celtics' game plan.

Rozier expanded on those challenges a few hours later on ESPN's First Take, explaining that the bulk of his frustration this season stemmed from taking a back seat to Irving and Gordon Hayward.


"Just obviously in the shadow of some guys," Rozier said. "The ball was in either Kyrie or Gordon Hayward's hands most of the time. So, I feel like either Terry Rozier is just in the corner or on the bench. One of those two."

Rozier's minutes dipped from 25.9 per game in 2017-18 -- when Hayward missed 81 games and Irving missed 22 -- to 22.7 per game this season. The 25-year-old also saw his playoff minutes cut in half from the previous postseason, when he assumed the starting point guard role with Irving out.

"I'm out there for a little bit of half of my minutes, so I'm really not being my position," Rozier said of sharing the backcourt with Irving. "I'm not being Terry Rozier, because I have to adjust to how Kyrie plays. And then when Kyrie comes out, Gordon Hayward comes in and I feel like his usage is super high, so a lot of plays get called for him."

The numbers tell a slightly different story; Hayward had an 18.2 percent usage rate this season, only a hair ahead of Rozier at 17.9 percent. Rozier also got more touches than Hayward this season, per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor.


Jay King

@ByJayKing
· May 14, 2019
May be worth noting that Rozier had almost the same usage rate as Hayward this season.

Darren Hartwell
@darren_hartwell
Terry Rozier just now on @FirstTake about the sacrifices he made this season:

"The ball in was either Kyrie or Gordon Hayward's hands most of the time. So, I feel like Terry Rozier is just in the corner or on the bench."


Kevin O'Connor

@KevinOConnorNBA
Time of possession per game
Terry Rozier: 3.7 minutes
Gordon Hayward 2 minutes

Touches per game
Rozier: 51.9
Hayward: 45.5

1,464
8:27 AM - May 14, 2019


Evidence aside, Rozier said he felt the Celtics' coaching staff favored Irving and Hayward over the rest of the roster.


"Them treating Gordon and Kyrie, I wouldn't say different than everybody else, but I feel like they just treated them like they were just on that level where there were no adjustments that could be made because they are who they are," Rozier said. "We never figured it out after that."

Those words certainly sound like a guy who wouldn't mind a change of scenery. Rozier, who's a restricted free agent this offseason, was asked point-blank if he would want to say on this Celtics team if Irving, Hayward and the rest of the roster returns in 2019-20.

"Nah, I might have to go," Rozier said. "I put up with a lot this year. I said what I said after the season. I think we all know I'm not trying to step into that again."

We do now, Terry.



bob
MY NOTE:  And don't let the door hit hit you in the ass on the way out, prima donna.

OH MY GOD!!! Can you believe the coaching staff favored an All-Star they're spending $30M/year on and a perennial All-Star over an NBA starter wannabe?!! What in God's Name are they thinking!




.

Bob,

That's some serious stupid shit he keeps laying out there.  

"I think we all know I'm not trying to step into that again"

Terry, it is your own shit you keep stepping in.  If you shut your yap, there would be less shit there for you to step in.

Entitled much?

What a maroon!!



gyso

DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE ASS TERRY. WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?????

Get rid of this prima donna fast, maybe he was more of the problem than anyone knows. Everyone wants to pat him on the back for coming out and talking. Shut up and go to the worst team in the league for all I care. I will never follow this guy's career, I can tell you that.

I'm pretty sure Brad went with KI and GH because they are better players and they were costing the team, oh, $ 50Mil total! TRoz was coming in at below 8 figures. I think I would have done what Brad did until TRoz could prove he was worth 8 figures...DOH! That never happened!!

Love Bugs! What a MAROON!!

db

I have said repeatedly, Brad would have had no choice but to play this jerk if he showed up at games and did his job well. Now I am wishing he sat on the bench and let Wannamaker come in for him or give Dozier or Gibson his minutes. Then he would have really bitched.

I cannot believe this kids agent hasn't tried to shut him up.

When Kyrie made those comments about young players Rozier was the main one. So for those out there that still believe Kyrie was throwing his teammates under the bus it may be prudent to understand the context.

Exactly. That is what I have been saying. Jaylen got his licks in and then, smartly, turned his attention to his game and his role. Rozier wanted it handed to him.