Wyc Grousbeck noncommittal about Kyrie Irving's future with Celtics

Wyc Grousbeck noncommittal about Kyrie Irving's future with Celtics

NBC SPORTS BOSTON By Darren Hartwell May 15, 2019 2:45 PM

We've come a long way from, "If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here."

That was Kyrie Irving in October 2018, telling Celtics season-ticket holders he planned to sign a long-term contract in Boston this offseason.

Irving since has changed his tune, telling reporters in February to "ask me July 1" about what he'll do after opting out of the final year of his contract.

In a radio interview Wednesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Felger & Mazz," Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck was asked if he still feels confident the C's can keep Kyrie around.

His answer didn't inspire much confidence.

A. Sherrod Blakely's post-lottery NBA Mock Draft >>

"I'm not going to comment on ... I'm really not going to talk about specific guys except in real generalities," Grousbeck said. "Kyrie's given us two years of strong effort. He's going to decide what he's going to do down the road. He hasn't commented publicly, so I'm going to respect that."

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has tried to maintain optimism on the Irving front, insisting earlier this season the two sides still had a "marriage" set for the first day of free agency.

Grousbeck confirmed he's spoken to Irving since Boston's season ended last week, but offered nothing more.

"Sorry, not going to comment on that," Grousbeck said. "This is a process we'll go through longer than this week."

Surely the C's want the six-time All-Star to stay in Boston instead of signing elsewhere, though ... right? Grousbeck declined to concede even that sentiment.

Biggest winners and losers from NBA Draft Lottery

"I'm just not going to comment about anybody on the roster on that," Grousbeck said. "We've got 15 guys, and we're going to evaluate all of them, and I'm not going to comment on one person and then not comment on another, because it's going to send a negative or positive signal. Just don't want to do it."

Grousbeck's stance is understandable: With free agency fast approaching, he'd rather not have any endorsement of Irving misconstrued as tampering. But his noncommittal responses about Irving's future will only fuel speculation that Kyrie has played his final game as a Celtic.

112288

What he left out of this article is that Wyc also said "but don't believe everything you hear or read in the rumor mill".

Everybody is hanging fire.  Danny and Wyc are waiting for David Griffin to talk to Davis and see if landing Zion will keep him in NOP.  Kyrie is waiting to see what happens.  Rozier, Tatum, everybody.  Including us.

Gonna be a whole lotta hot air blowing through between now and the end of June when the draft is held and the first half of July when the free agency moratorium is lifted.  Until then I suggest we take Wyc's advice and not believe everything we hear or read in the rumor mill".


bob


.

Bob, did you see the story where the Celtics were really closer to getting that 4th pick than was reported. One ping pong ball. There was a story out there on that 24/7 Sports with this story.

Way back in January it was obvious that Wyc was not happy with the team. Then they went out and had that good stretch out west and it quieted people down for a bit. Those two loses to the Clippers were killers. So, this story today is not a shocker. It is refreshing actually.
No whitewash here, they drove him crazy just like they did to us

Of course Wyc cannot and should not comment on his level of confidence.

But for those out there calling for a divorce, The Celtics want to keep Kyrie.

And that is why the AD trade will be pursued. Kyrie is more likely to reup if paired with a top Allstar level talent. His current team is filled with a bunch of good players but not one of them is elite status.

The ball is in Irvings hand as he gets to decide whether to stay or move on. A great player with outstanding credentials over his 8 year career - with the exception of the recent playoffs - and it's not the first time a super star has failed miserably in a playoff series. He's a real bargain at 21 million per year - even if his attitude is sometimes questionable. I hope he returns - a chance to turn boos into cheers.

 swish

how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

kdp59 wrote:how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

                                       If he's just going to dribble up the court and take contested fadeaways he's no bargain at anything a year. His playoffs were abominable..I wouldn't be surprised if Davis stayed and played with Zion, but then, at this point, nothing would surprise me.

jrleftfoot wrote:

kdp59 wrote:how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

                                       If he's just going to dribble up the court and take contested fadeaways he's no bargain at anything a year. His playoffs were abominable..I wouldn't be surprised if Davis stayed and played with Zion, but then, at this point, nothing would surprise me.

That’s what pissed me off the most, bad shot after bad shot after bad decision, really Kyrie that’s all you got...??? So many bad shots with other guys standing around and in much better positions, move the damn ball, then move yourself...last years playoff offense and defense was so much better. I’m watching this crap and cursing wtf did he just do...?????

That's the one thing I don't like about reporter questions. And I'm in sales. Just because someone asks you a leading question like these reporters, etc. so skillfully do, (I call them "Have you stopped beating your wife" questions) doesn't mean if you don't answer them or give some whackadoodle answer that they imply ANYTHING!

Wyc should have the power and respect per-interview to request that he will not be answering any questions on any of these topics or he'll walk. Reporters think they always have the upper hand because the old adage is if you are asking questions, you are in control..but they don't. Especially not in my business. The customer has the one power all salesman covet...the power of the pen signing on the line that is dotted.

Unfortunately, many salesmen go before and ruin it for the rest of us making damn near all the customers/prospects skeptical from the get-go and my job alot more difficult than it should be.

Wyc knows better. And if he thinks for a second he's going to create a scene or a story or an innuendo, he shouldn't do the interview in the first place.

Interviewing these players doesn't do any good either. Some think they are cute like KI does and can trip the reporters up. These kind of players are going to a gun fight with a tooth pick. That's why lawyers cannot advertise or solicit new business. They are so skilled at what they do, they can easily convince you sell your wife and kids if they wanted to.

Reporters must spend half their careers just dreaming up the perfect question(s) to trip you up or put you in a bind to get the perfect story. Yet for some reason I always find myself riveted to the post-game news conferences looking for the trip up!

db

jrleftfoot wrote:

kdp59 wrote:how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

                                       If he's just going to dribble up the court and take contested fadeaways he's no bargain at anything a year. His playoffs were abominable..I wouldn't be surprised if Davis stayed and played with Zion, but then, at this point, nothing would surprise me.

DITTO

112288

kdp59 wrote:how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

Max players do not = Bargains

I think the Lakers moving from 11 to #4 is a big win for them. NOLA however is looking for more than 1 first round pick.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:

kdp59 wrote:how much of a bargain is he at $35M a year?

the Lakers getting the #4 pick makes them the favorite to land Davis, IMO.

                                       If he's just going to dribble up the court and take contested fadeaways he's no bargain at anything a year. His playoffs were abominable..I wouldn't be surprised if Davis stayed and played with Zion, but then, at this point, nothing would surprise me.

That’s what pissed me off the most, bad shot after bad shot after bad decision, really Kyrie that’s all you got...??? So many bad shots with other guys standing around and in much better positions, move the damn ball, then move yourself...last years playoff offense and defense was so much better. I’m watching this crap and cursing wtf did he just do...?????

                      Right there with ya, cowens

dbrown4 wrote:That's the one thing I don't like about reporter questions.  And I'm in sales.  Just because someone asks you a leading question like these reporters, etc. so skillfully do, (I call them "Have you stopped beating your wife" questions) doesn't mean if you don't answer them or give some whackadoodle answer that they imply ANYTHING!  

Wyc should have the power and respect per-interview to request that he will not be answering any questions on any of these topics or he'll walk.  Reporters think they always have the upper hand because the old adage is if you are asking questions, you are in control..but they don't.  Especially not in my business.  The customer has the one power all salesman covet...the power of the pen signing on the line that is dotted.  

Unfortunately, many salesmen go before and ruin it for the rest of us making damn near all the customers/prospects skeptical from the get-go and my job alot more difficult than it should be.

Wyc knows better.  And if he thinks for a second he's going to create a scene or a story or an innuendo, he shouldn't do the interview in the first place.  

Interviewing these players doesn't do any good either.  Some think they are cute like KI does and can trip the reporters up.  These kind of players  are going to a gun fight with a tooth pick.  That's why lawyers cannot advertise or solicit new business.  They are so skilled at what they do, they can easily convince you sell your wife and kids if they wanted to.  

Reporters must spend half their careers just dreaming up the perfect question(s) to trip you up or put you in a bind to get the perfect story.  Yet for some reason I always find myself riveted to the post-game news conferences looking for the trip up!

db    

Wys's selling a product . He can answer questions any way he wants, but setting pre-conditions to what reporters can ask is absurd. I suppose he could hire Huckabee- Sanders when the time comes. Until then, the reporters are free to do their jobs however they want and he can run his team the way he wants.