Kyrie Post Mortem

For lack of anything better to read this morning, I offer up the "Kyrie post mortem."

I know, it's not official and you don't do a post mortem on the living, but the title seems appropriate.

Rob Parker: “What happened with Kyrie and Boston, and why did things go awry?” Chris Mannix: “You can write a whole book on what went wrong because the season was basically a disaster from start to finish. His relationship with the young players on the roster was awful. Jaylen Brown he was probably the worst with, I don’t think it was great with Jayson Tatum, and it was awful with Terry Rozier because Terry was supplanted at a position he thought he did enough to win. That created a pretty nasty atmosphere. Kyrie’s leadership skills were lacking and he failed at it. He was the first player to be coached by Brad Stevens who didn’t really enjoy being coached by Brad Stevens and that relationship wasn’t solid.” 5 hours ago – via Fox Sports Radio
Brad Stevens, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics

If you’re still trying to figure out what Kyrie Irving’s thinking on a given day, you aren’t alone. While we wait on his official free agent decision, and it seems like a formality that he will leave the Celtics for the Nets, more details are sure to emerge to try and explain his thought process. One potential detail came from a story Doug Gottlieb told on The Best of the Herd Podcast, which included a strange interaction between him and Brad Stevens before a film session. Kyrie came in one day to [a film session], he was the first one in film room. He walked up to Brad Stevens and said, ‘What does government mean to you?’ 5 hours ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Brad Stevens, Frivolities, Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics

If nothing else, the thought of Kyrie asking Brad that question before a film session is funny. Stevens may actually be relieved at Irving's departure.

Wonder if there will be an Uncle Drew sequel?

Bye Kyrie. Be careful not to fall off the Earth's edge now.

It all went south on the lob from Kyrie to Gordon (who got cut by Crowder and James). I would guess the intention was to show how athletic Gordon was, etc. but that was a play for later in the game when the bodies are warmed up and there's some flow. Well, on to the next plan. Danny still has some assets even with two of them walking out the door. Last thing: a note to Kyrie, the better question is "What does self government mean to me?" Good riddance!

This thread is likely to become full of anti Irving stuff, but what it all will show is just how important it is for a player to either fit in or buy in to what a team is doing or needs than to chase the shallow, selfishness of that one particular player.

My worst fears over the next few weeks are that 1: Irving does not opt out of his Boston contract, and 2: that Ainge chases after him with huge money if he does opt out.

Time for the Irving years in Boston to end. Ainge and Stevens will say good things about him as he leaves, but our team will be more fun to watch next year without him.

wideclyde wrote:This thread is likely to become full of anti Irving stuff, but what it all will show is just how important it is for a player to either fit in or buy in to what a team is doing...

Clyde,

Excellent point.

Regards

You are right there, but, over the past few months of the season, I began to wonder if those two would ever play well together. I think Gordon came here more to play with IT than Kyrie. When I watched Kyrie on the floor at the same time as Gordon, I wondered if he would ever give up the ball to him and help him get back into the flow. Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris, even Aron Baynes all worked with Hayward. I never saw much of that from Irving.

This move may prove to be the best thing for all concerned, that remains to be seen. But I do know the Irving era in boston is ending with a thud, with nothing to really remember in the future.

Al is a different story. I am sad to see him go,but if the money they are talking about him getting is true, I am glad we have a GM/President who is smart enough to say goodbye

Nets may not be sold on Kyrie Irving as team’s lone star

NICK FRIAR
JUNE 19, 2019 - 10:08 AM
CATEGORIES: Basketball
In the course of the Celtics’ chaos, one thing that can easily be overlooked: Kyrie Irving could be flying solo when he heads to Brooklyn. Even before Kevin Durant got hurt, the idea was he favored the Knicks over the Nets. And there’s reportedly been indication D’Angelo Russell isn’t trying to stick around to play Robin to Irving’s Batman.

So the situation in Brooklyn could be Irving as the lone superstar. No Big Three or even a dynamic duo. Just Irving.

That’s a scenario the Nets may not be too keen on. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski explained the situation on “Get UP!”:

“What Brooklyn would like to have is not just Kyrie Irving, but (have) a second star come in with him. Obviously, Kevin Durant is that player. If they don’t get a second star, it will be interesting to see if Brooklyn wants to have Kyrie Irving as a solo act. That didn’t go so great in Boston last year. So, we’ll see if Brooklyn is still following through on just Kyrie Irving. Because if they don’t take Kyrie Irving, they can just bring back D’Angelo Russell at a lower number, young player. But their focus with the Nets, let’s get two stars (and) try to get Kyrie Irving to go out and recruit KD for him to come together.”

Woj says that if Nets don't land another star with Kyrie that they'll just keep D'Angelo Russell instead. Brooklyn isn't sold on Kyrie's ability to run a team alone. pic.twitter.com/lpoW84bBXL

— Chris Montano (@gswchris) June 19, 2019
Imagine that? After everything that’s gone on, the team Irving supposedly wants to play for may not even want him.

Teams don’t want stars who throw playoff games?

Sounds like good corporate governance by Nets management; sweet irony.

KyleCleric wrote:Teams don’t want stars who throw playoff games?

I have to admit that you have identified something that no one is talking about.

We all know that Kyrie struggled to make shots that he has always been able to make.  The series revealed that he was definitely off his game and the Bucks were hell bent on double and triple teaming him whenever he touched the ball.

He would not give up the ball but proceeded to keep taking good shots and a lot of bad shots.  As the series progressed he pressed even more  but remained  in a funk.

In Game 5 he continue to launch all sorts of bad shots and at times it actually appeared that he did not care if they went in. It was as if he was missing on purpose and did not give a damn what happened.  Our coach is partly to blame for this.  You cannot let a guy play so poorly that he is killing any chance that your team has to win.

The Celtics were going to lose to the Bucks one way or the other because they had dominance in their front line and enough shooters to match whatever we could put up.  But Kyrie quit on us in game 5.  He sabotaged the team by playing more to lose than to win.

And his actions post playoffs were extremely unprofessional. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but I said all during the year, he did not give that ball up to teammates consistently.

Today's reports are beating Danny up, I have not turned on the two jerks on NBC/tv, Felger and Mazz, I am sure they are having a field day. This is a tough day to be President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics

BingBang! wrote:Sounds like good corporate governance by Nets management; sweet irony.

I wonder how the Nets players feel about Kyrie joining them? Not that I follow them closely, but thought this year they were a young team with great chemistry that always played hard and for each other.

I can’t imagine Kyrie doing anything but ruining that!

Lakers don’t want him either, they want Kamba Walker

I wonder if Kamba will really leave Charlotte. He is very comfortable there and has said he would take a hometown discount.

WideClyde,
That’s my worst fear as well. I think others have seen how KI tried to do a LaBron or Kobe on a team that functions best when it’s a cooperative effort. That could make them leery about putting him in a “solo star” role. Then DA sees him as a chance to keep the team in playoff contention.

Nets deciding whether they just want a headache or a full-blown migraine.

https://nypost.com/2019/06/19/inside-debate-the-nets-are-having-about-kyrie-irving/