Danny Ainge says July 1 ‘marriage’ between Boston Celtics and Irving still on

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/02/kyrie-irving-rumors-danny-ainge-says-july-1-marriage-between-boston-celtics-and-irving-still-on.html



Kyrie Irving Rumors: Danny Ainge says July 1 ‘marriage’ between Boston Celtics and Irving still on



Updated 8:58 AM; Posted 8:58 AM




Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge tosses the ball, which went out of bounds, to Kyrie Irving during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Boston Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson) (Winslow Townson)




By John Karalis | JKaralis@masslive.com




Danny Ainge joined the Toucher & Rich radio show this morning for his usual chat, and after some unsuccessful attempts to pry any information about the Anthony Davis talks, they turned their attention to Kyrie Irving and his suddenly uncertain future.

It didn’t seem quite as uncertain to Ainge, though, who insisted that after all the rumors and even after the tone of Irving’s press conference in New York, that Kyrie and the Boston Celtics are still on track to take this relationship to the next step.

“I think a lot of people because of Kyrie’s announcement at the beginning of the year thought that there was a marriage,” Ainge told the hosts. “I think it’s it’s more like an engagement, and we’re gonna get married on July first, and I think that that engagement is still on as far as I know in my individual conversations with Kyrie. We’re still engaged, but we really can’t make those vows, sign that contract, until July first.”

The usual caveats still apply to any situation that’s still nearly five months away. A lot can change over that amount of time and it’s hard to say which winds will blow to knock this Love Boat off its intended course. The most recent gusts of hot air seemed to come from the Klutch Sports camp in their efforts to pry Anthony Davis away from the Pelicans and drive him to the Los Angeles Lakers. They needed to try to eliminate Boston as a potential trade destination, which meant mucking up some uncertainty around Kyrie Irving.


In New York, an obviously agitated Irving shot back at questions about whether his mindset had shifted with a terse “ask me July first," instead of a simple yes or no.

Ainge was asked about Kyrie’s combative media availability.

“Did you talk to him after those comments?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve had a couple of different conversations. Absolutely,” Ainge replied.

“And how did you leave feeling after those conversations about Kyrie?"

“Good," Ainge answered. "Better than maybe the mood of that initial press conference. I don’t really know all that was going on with him. But we have had some good conversations.”

When pressed on why Irving didn’t just come out and reaffirm his previous commitment and why he seemed so upset in New York, Ainge answered “you’d have to ask Kyrie those questions. I think he’s -- I don’t know, I think that he just doesn’t like his name in all these rumors and associated with all these other players. I think he likes to be his own man and have his own mind and his own opinions. But I feel like there’s still a chance that on July 1 he stays here and that’s what we’re shooting for. We still have a date on July first.”

After the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Kyrie Irving seemed a little relieved the trade deadline had passed. Ainge expressed the same public confidence in being able to keep his star player as reports have suggested he’s had all along.

Now if the Celtics really want to guarantee a marriage in July, they need to do some serious ring shopping in June.



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On the same show, on another topic, Ainge said he had several conversations with one player about almost being traded.

Terry Rozier?