Kyrie Irving genuinely interested in reuniting with LeBron James

NYCelt wrote:dboss,

With each passing hour since Trade-Me-Gate hit, I see less and less chance AD ends up in Boston. I'm OK with that too. I'd rather keep the likes of Tatum, Smart, and, hopefully, Irving. If not Irving, I'd be happy with Rozier. We also have a barrel load of draft picks to build with or trade. I see all of this as better for sustained competitiveness than dealing a couple of our young stars for a player with 7-years worth of mileage and a history of injury. AD is still young too, but bigs, especially, tend to wear down faster. AD has already started down that road.

Based on game-time reports earlier this evening, it looks like LA is willing to unload several of their promising young players to bring in AD now, and go with a win now philosophy. Good for them. I'd rather have LA win a title this year or next, while Boston remains in the hunt for titles over the next several years. I say let AD go to LA. I'll stick with the Tatum show.

Regards

7 years and most of those years have been losing seasons. He’s a great player but hes had some talent around him to at least go a little further than hes gotten thus far. Plus the injury factor. I love to have him but I’m not sure I’d give up all of my young players either.
If LA gets him I still don’t see them winning a title. They’d have traded away most of their young talent and LeBron may have 2-3 good but not great years left in the tank. They would need to ad more than Davis to accomplish their goal. I just don’t see it and if they do win a title anytime soon with this underhanded maneuvering I will lose the little interest I have left (sans Celts) in the NBA. March Madness here I come!!!

Ktronic1 wrote: March Madness here I come!!!

Single best sporting event on the planet in my opinion. Sheer genius of a single elimination tournament played by athletes at an age where they have hit what will probably be their peak physical condition.

Tennessee clinging to #1 over Duke. Kentucky finally coming on and Purdue starting to enter the picture. North Carolina hanging tough despite the loss to Louisville, climbing the rankings this past week. What the heck is going on with Louisville? They may end up top 4 in the ACC. I thought they were sunk.

Almost all conference games from here on out. 5 or 6 weeks left in the regular season depending on conference.

After watching this home stand, I am so reluctant to walk away from these kids. It is so exciting to watch them develop. I know Anthony Davis is a star of stars, but, in a couple of years maybe we will have two stars and I would hate to say...woulda, should, coulda.
I know BobH is strongly in the Davis camp, but, sorry I just cant stant the thought of Tatum, Brown or Smart on the New Orleans bench with their fans going nuts when they see some awesome play from one or the other.

I know I would learn to enjoy Davis, but.......I like the kids!!!!

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
about 3 hours ago
Danny Ainge to @Toucherandrich on Kyrie rumors: "I talk to Kyrie on a daily basis and see him all the time...I feel like Kyrie likes it in Boston...We need to sell our team and our players and free agents to be...Of course, we want to keep Kyrie and time will tell."



Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
about 3 hours ago
Danny Ainge on @Toucherandrich said he reached out to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to discuss their names being in trade rumors. Wanted to be honest with them about the “business side” of basketball and all the noise of trade season.



bob



.

NYCelt wrote:dboss,

With each passing hour since Trade-Me-Gate hit, I see less and less chance AD ends up in Boston. I'm OK with that too. I'd rather keep the likes of Tatum, Smart, and, hopefully, Irving. If not Irving, I'd be happy with Rozier. We also have a barrel load of draft picks to build with or trade. I see all of this as better for sustained competitiveness than dealing a couple of our young stars for a player with 7-years worth of mileage and a history of injury. AD is still young too, but bigs, especially, tend to wear down faster. AD has already started down that road.

Based on game-time reports earlier this evening, it looks like LA is willing to unload several of their promising young players to bring in AD now, and go with a win now philosophy. Good for them. I'd rather have LA win a title this year or next, while Boston remains in the hunt for titles over the next several years. I say let AD go to LA. I'll stick with the Tatum show.

Regards

NYCelt

The future has always been an unknown.  

When I see Boston win like they did last night I start thinking wow they looked really good.  Then I look at their body of work against better teams and I am reminded that I still do not know how good these guys are or will be this season.

I am not so sure that the longer this saga goes on the less likely AD ends up in Boston.  I think once you get past the February deadline it increases the chances for a deal to be made because Boston can be a real player in this cat and mouse game.  

Danny has had his eyes on AD for a the long time but for the first time he is available.  

Danny does not make decisions based on what fans think or want to happen.

It would be a goddamn shame if they traded Tatum after only 2 years playing for the Celtics.  The same can be said for Jaylen Brown at 3 years and Marcus Smart at (5) years.  Their development individually and collectively has been the most  significant force driving this team forward.

Danny is like the Terminator.

The one thing that could  impact his decision would be a championship run.  Even a trip to the finals and a strong showing may give him pause.  An outright title would make a move to get Davis unjustified.

I know a lot of fans are thinking, we do not need Kyrie.  However do we need to be reminded that one of the elements for a championship team that Danny knew he needed was an ultimate go to guy.  He has added that piece to the puzzle.  As good as Tatum is and as good as Brown is they do not have the skill set for a go to role at this point.  

As far as AD is concerned he has played in 82.9% all all games since he came into the NBA.  He has had some other good players with him.  But has he ever played for a top of the line coach?  Has NOLA ever been a model franchise?  It would be hard to throw shade on his abilities to impact the game.  On the Celtics he would be in a system designed to maximize his every potential.

It probably sounds like i am making a yea argument because I am but I will remain indifferent to a certain degree because I know that Danny is going to do what he wants to do so.

There are only two things that could stop Danny from pulling the trigger. (1) as I mentioned we win  this year or (2) NOLA gets too greedy and wants both Tatum and Brown plus.

At this point I just hope that our young guys can handle the obvious and persistent distraction associated with being traded.  I hope they play their very best because winning changes everything.

Update from Kyrie:

Ian Begley: Kyrie Irving asked if his mindset has changed regarding re-signing with Boston: “Ask me July 1.” He says he’s going to do what’s best for his career. – via Twitter IanBegley

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/02/kyrie-irving-rumors-2019-boston-celtics-star-on-his-free-agency-im-going-to-do-whats-best-for-my-career.html



Kyrie Irving Rumors 2019: Boston Celtics star on his free agency ‘I’m just going to do what’s best for me’
Updated 8:55 AM; Posted 8:42 AM





Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving (11) and Jayson Tatum (0) walk up court during the second half on an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (Michael Dwyer)




By John Karalis | JKaralis@masslive.com




Kyrie Irving addressed the rumors about his impending free agency in New York this morning, but didn’t sound as committed to Boston as he did earlier in the year.

“Well, at the end of the day I’m going to do what I feel is best for my career, and that’s just where it stands," he said. "My focus this season is winning a championship with the Boston Celtics. Obviously we had goals coming into this season, and the primary goal is to win a championship. So that’s where my focus is.”

When asked directly if his mindset had shifted about re-signing with Boston, Irving responded with a terse “Ask me July first.”




It may be an unsettling thing for Boston Celtics fans to hear after his declaration earlier this season that he was planning on re-signing with the Celtics. When asked about the commitment he made at the pre-season fan fest, he said “I think it was just the excitement, feeling emotionally invested coming off an injury last season trying to prove something, trying to be very much of a team-oriented player, which I am naturally. But at the end of the day I spent the last eight years trying to do what everybody else wanted me to do in terms of making my decisions and trying to validate through the media, through other personnel, managers, anybody in this business. And I don’t want anybody’s s---. So for me, I think the confidence I have in myself and my abilities, I want to be able to control what I want to control.”


As the media availability wore on, he did say that Boston was still his top destination.

“I still have confidence in Boston and what they can promise for the future and what we have in terms of our pieces," Irving said. "That’s what excited me a lot about the beginning of the season was the opportunity to come into this season really just doing what we planned on doing, set a goal and go after it and then see what happens at the end of the season. That was the plan before and that’s still the plan now. Obviously Boston is still at the head of that race. That’s just where it stands.”


bob



.

Tom Westerholm @Tom_NBA
1 hour ago
Woj says on his podcast there is a lot of “wishful thinking” that Kyrie is in play. Adds that Irving has been clear "in recent weeks, in recent days” that he remains committed to the Celtics.

reply retweet like


bob


.

tjmakz wrote:Update from Kyrie:

Ian Begley: Kyrie Irving asked if his mindset has changed regarding re-signing with Boston: “Ask me July 1.” He says he’s going to do what’s best for his career. – via Twitter IanBegley

If this report is accurate it will be the first time we have a quote from Kyrie that he is undecided on his commitment to resign with Boston. This is a very dangerous time for Boston.

Danny needs to nail this one down. He needs to determine if a trade for AD secures Kyrie. Maybe, maybe not is not good enough. If the Celtics have to move on from Irving do it.

Behind the scenes we do not know what conversations are taking place but things are setting up for a showdown and I really believe that trading for AD is the only way they can keep Kyrie. I also believe that AD would settle in with the Celtics if he can play with Kyrie.

In the end what we have here is a bunch of egotistical assholes.

My personal opinion hasn't changed with any of this.

I still believe the bottom line is that even Kyrie himself doesn't really know what he wants.

50/50 shot to re-sign with Boston.

You can't buy fire insurance after the house burns down. If my desk was located in The Celtics front office, I'd be seeing what it takes to retain Rozier.

dboss wrote:

tjmakz wrote:Update from Kyrie:

Ian Begley: Kyrie Irving asked if his mindset has changed regarding re-signing with Boston: “Ask me July 1.” He says he’s going to do what’s best for his career. – via Twitter IanBegley

If this report is accurate it will be the first time we have a quote from Kyrie that he is undecided on his commitment to resign with Boston.  This is a very dangerous time for Boston.  

Danny needs to nail this one down.  He needs to determine if a trade for AD secures Kyrie.  Maybe, maybe not is not good enough.  If the Celtics have to move on from Irving  do it.  

Behind the scenes we do not know what conversations are taking place but things are setting up for a showdown and I really believe that trading for AD is the only way they can keep Kyrie.  I also believe that AD would settle in with the Celtics if he can play with Kyrie.

In the end what we have here is a bunch of egotistical assholes.

If you watch the video that Bob shared, Kyrie lays it all out as much as he can.
Boston is in the lead but he will do what's best for his career.

NYCelt wrote:My personal opinion hasn't changed with any of this.

I still believe the bottom line is that even Kyrie himself doesn't really know what he wants.

50/50 shot to re-sign with Boston.

You can't buy fire insurance after the house burns down. If my desk was located in The Celtics front office, I'd be seeing what it takes to retain Rozier.

NYCelt

You have persisted here and now I am convinced. Rozier is an RFA so Boston can retain him if they want to. He is looking more and more like their ace in the hole.

Let's see if a deal is made for AD by February 7th.

tjmakz wrote:

dboss wrote:

tjmakz wrote:Update from Kyrie:

Ian Begley: Kyrie Irving asked if his mindset has changed regarding re-signing with Boston: “Ask me July 1.” He says he’s going to do what’s best for his career. – via Twitter IanBegley

If this report is accurate it will be the first time we have a quote from Kyrie that he is undecided on his commitment to resign with Boston.  This is a very dangerous time for Boston.  

Danny needs to nail this one down.  He needs to determine if a trade for AD secures Kyrie.  Maybe, maybe not is not good enough.  If the Celtics have to move on from Irving  do it.  

Behind the scenes we do not know what conversations are taking place but things are setting up for a showdown and I really believe that trading for AD is the only way they can keep Kyrie.  I also believe that AD would settle in with the Celtics if he can play with Kyrie.

In the end what we have here is a bunch of egotistical assholes.

If you watch the video that Bob shared, Kyrie lays it all out as much as he can.
Boston is in the lead but he will do what's best for his career.

TJ

Thanks for walking back from the ledge. I had not watched the video. I get it now. Move along, move along

I think Kyrie's comments and what he does July 1st depends on how well he pulls this team together as its leader and where we finish in the playoffs. Winning the Finals? High Water will cover a lot of stumps! Getting swept in the first round? Probably gone. Anything in between is pretty much anything in between.

db

https://nypost.com/2019/02/01/kyrie-irving-just-gave-knicks-fans-the-hope-they-were-waiting-for/                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                           
Kyrie Irving just gave Knicks the hope they were waiting for
By Greg Joyce February 1, 2019 | 12:11pm | Updated

Sitting in a chair across from the Knicks bench at the Garden on Friday morning, Kyrie Irving tossed a can of gasoline on the fire surrounding his future.

Nearly four months after he told thousands of fans in Boston he planned on re-signing with the Celtics this summer, Irving left the door wide open for a change of heart.

“Ask me July 1,” Irving said, when asked if his mindset had shifted since his October proclamation. “I’m just going to do what’s best for me.”

Of course, Irving was saying this in the arena that New Yorkers have long hoped would be his future home. Those feelings only intensified Thursday, when the Knicks pulled off a blockbuster Kristaps Porzingis trade that opened up room for two max-contract free agents to sign here this summer.

So, about that commitment to Boston?

“I spent the last eight years trying to do what everybody else wanted me to do in terms of making my decisions and trying to validate through the media, through other personnel, managers, anybody in this business,” Irving said. “And I don’t owe anybody s–t.”

Irving had sat out the last two games with a hip injury, but has been cleared to play Friday night against the Knicks. The New Jersey product figures to be in for a raucous night at the Garden, where Knicks fans may roll out the red carpet for a homecoming prematurely.

“I respect the Knicks organization,” Irving said. “Obviously they’re making moves to position themselves for this upcoming summer. I wish them the best.”

As for his October promise to Boston fans, Irving said it was “just the excitement, feeling emotionally invested” to begin a new season after coming back from a knee injury that sidelined him for the Celtics’ playoff run last season. This season has not gone as planned for the Celtics, stuck in fifth place in the Eastern Conference while they try to find their groove, and Irving has not been afraid to share his frustration.

Irving indicated the Celtics remain in the driver’s seat for his future, however uncertain it might be.

“I still have confidence in Boston and what they can promise for the future and what we have in terms of pieces,” he said. “That’s what excited me a lot about the beginning of the season, was the opportunity to come into this season really just doing what we planned on doing.

“Set a goal and go after it and then see what happens at the end of the season. That was the plan before and that’s still the plan now. Obviously Boston’s still at the head of that race. That’s just where it stands.”

Getting tired of all this back and forth. Kyrie is a person who will take care of himself first, forget the commitment he made at the beginning of the season. If Danny has any question as to IF he is staying or NOT, he will do what he has to to get the value the team needs and not let him walk.

Am I correct that the Celtics cannot negotiate with Kyrie at all before July 1? Believe me, DA is no fool, and he will not be made a fool of either. So, let's get this next seven days over, and hope we do not have egg on our face in July if he walks.

Leadership can best be measured by what you say and what you do during the rough patches.  A true leader is  that calming voice that spreads confidence when a landslide closes the road up ahead.  If you see yourself as capable of leading a team and you cite that as the reason why you went from one team to another team because of that leadership opportunity you have to accept more responsibility for what you do and what you say.

All of this noise is really media driven but it can be stimulated when you find reason to tell the world that you apologized to Lebron James.  One thing leads to another and instead of coming out in the strongest possible disclaimer you play the ask me July 1st cat and mouse game.  I am not looking to turn sour against Kyrie or anyone else but I have pretty much had enough of this bullshit.

If, by any chance, Danny felt that there was a strong chance that Kyrie was going to walk at the end of the season, WHO does he look to trade him for? I found myself this afternoon sitting here, after listening to his little dialogue with the press, wondering who do I go after that will give me the value and the ability that Kyrie has.

Then I sat back and said, he really cannot be this crazy to walk from the Celtics, can he????????

Oh well, we will find out in July!

Rosalie,

The Celtics hold their destiny in their own hands.

They will survive with or without Kyrie and with or without AD.

I believe that our GM will navigate through the murky waters so we really have nothing to worry about.

dboss wrote:

All of this noise is really media driven but it can be stimulated when you find reason to tell the world that you apologized to Lebron James.

dboss,

For those of us who are old AF, this seemed weird when Kyrie "shared" this info with the world. We usually take a more conservative and close to the vest approach with our personal details.

Young people today do not need a reason to "share" every single thing they do each day. For instance, when a group go out to eat nowadays, they take a picture of their meal and tell the world who what when where and why instead of just enjoying the experience with those present. Everyone is playing with their phone and no one is having a conversation.

There is no need to get upset about it, it just is what it is.

gyso

You are right Gyso, I know this because everytime my sister goes away, for the entire time, I am getting messages on facebook when she is out to dinner, where she is, what they are doing???? My daughter is the same way, and my nieces and family.

Me?? I just go away, period, and when I come back I may tell someone one or two things that we did.

It is a generational thing. Funny, years ago, you knew nothing about players, where they lived, their families. Now, they are all over the computer. So, he is of this generation, doesn't give it a thought, until, all of a sudden, he clams up. That leads to all the rumors and suppositions that are flying around. Go figure!!!

gyso wrote:

dboss wrote:

All of this noise is really media driven but it can be stimulated when you find reason to tell the world that you apologized to Lebron James.

dboss,

For those of us who are old AF, this seemed weird when Kyrie "shared" this info with the world.  We usually take a more conservative and close to the vest approach with our personal details.

Young people today do not need a reason to "share" every single thing they do each day.  For instance, when a group go out to eat nowadays, they take a picture of their meal and tell the world who what when where and why instead of just enjoying the experience with those present.  Everyone is playing with their phone and no one is having a conversation.

There is no need to get upset about it, it just is what it is.

gyso

Wow

You got that right.  It is a generational thing.  I am blessed with 8 millennial children and have seen more than my share of resturant photo ops.

They didn't get that from me.

I treasure the intimate experience of dinning out to be shared only with the person or persons with me as well as who picked up the WTF check.  Usually me.

dboss wrote:Rosalie,

The Celtics hold their destiny in their own hands.  

They will survive with or without Kyrie and with or without AD.

I believe that our GM will navigate through the murky waters so we really have nothing to worry about.  

100%.

Kyrie would be crazy to leave Boston, easily the best situation for him in the NBA.

If Kyrie walks - the Celtics will resign Terry Rozier and use the Kyrie money and some draft picks to go and get the best available FA. Kyrie can go to LA and deal with that control freak again on a team with a dominant first 2 or 3 players and nothing left for a bench - or he can be back home to NY and win zero banners. Up to him.

mrkleen09 wrote:

dboss wrote:Rosalie,

The Celtics hold their destiny in their own hands.  

They will survive with or without Kyrie and with or without AD.

I believe that our GM will navigate through the murky waters so we really have nothing to worry about.  

100%.

Kyrie would be crazy to leave Boston, easily the best situation for him in the NBA.

If Kyrie walks - the Celtics will resign Terry Rozier and use the Kyrie money and some draft picks to go and get the best available FA.  Kyrie can go to LA and deal with that control freak again on a team with a dominant first 2 or 3 players and nothing left for a bench - or he can be back home to NY and win zero banners.  Up to him.

+1

At this point I agree with Rosie, let Davis go to LA, Lebron and AD will not be enough after all the young pieces they will lose. Kyrie wants to go there or Knicks, I don’t give 2 shits....I want to keep the 2 J’s and Smart, ofcourse I’d take Kyrie, if he leaves I’m happy with Rozier and other FA’s we may acquire that I’m sure BS and Danny will find best player and that player doesn’t have to be a diva, I mean superstar. I really love seeing 2 J’s grow and compete. If Tatum just got all the calls he never gets, he’d be at the line 5-6 times more a game. Sooner or later he will get stronger, finish better and be getting those calls and hitting more mid range and 3 point shots more efficiently. I have no doubt it’s coming, he’s going to be so good by the time he’s 22-23. I really enjoy the signature plays Brown routinely makes, just wait for it and you know it’s coming and then it’s another routine steal and him blazing down the floor. I love seeing his post up game which will be even better soon and he just has perfect leaping, high arc and great form. We gotta keep these 2.

Because there’s only one Jordan, I can’t say they will be the best wing combo ever, but they might be the best of this era very soon? They could be the 2nd best and that would still be really great. To be in the conversation with Jordan-Pippen is still a great combo, these 2 are still just getting started and are such a match up advantage for us both ends. I can easily see them both all defensive in a few years, their shots and efficiency will only get better and better. Fuck Anthony Davis!!!!