Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics may have a decision to make Thursday.
Irving will get a second opinion on his sore left knee Thursday, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reported Wednesday night, citing a league source. That’s not exactly breaking news, as the Celtics star was expected to miss the team’s upcoming road trip to take care of a nagging knee ailment that has sidelined him since March 11.
But Bulpett added interesting context about the importance of Irving’s upcoming visit.
He may just need rest, but if physicians and Irving conclude he needs a procedure on his knee, expect his readiness for next season to weigh heavily on when to have it done. (Considering Celtics' chances this year after all their injuries, this should probably go without saying.)
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) March 22, 2018
Bulpett essentially is saying this: If it’s determined Irving needs surgery, he may opt to have the procedure done soon — possibly before the end of the Celtics’ season — rather than wait until the offseason and put his status for the 2018-19 season in jeopardy.
FOX Sports 1’s Chris Broussard reported a similar story Wednesday, hinting at the possibility of Boston shutting Irving down for the playoffs rather than have him push through a knee injury during a postseason run. As Bulpett notes, the C’s already are dealing with several other injuries — Gordon Hayward and Daniel Theis both are (likely) done for the year, while Marcus Smart wouldn’t be available until at least the second round — so they could wave their version of a white flag, resting Irving to shift the focus to next season.
Of course, much still hinges on the results of Thursday’s meeting. Irving reportedly has no structural damage in his left knee, and the C’s still are hopeful the All-Star guard will be ready for the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
We may gain further clarity on that hope over the next several hours.
