Kyrie Irving’s looming free agency will be among the biggest storylines surrounding the Boston Celtics throughout the 2018-19 season, but it sounds like the C’s have the upper hand, at least for now.
Here’s what Irving said to TNT’s Kristen Ledlow during Monday’s Celtics Media Day in Canton, Mass.:
How will Kyrie Irving make his looming free agency decision? Wherever he’s the happiest. “I believe Boston is the place for me,” he told me with a big smile on his face. 🏀 #NBAMediaDay
— Kristen Ledlow (@KristenLedlow) September 24, 2018
The 26-year-old point guard can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Celtics can offer Irving more money and an extra year (five, as opposed to four) in a new contract compared to the other 29 teams, so there certainly are financial reasons to sign a long-term deal with Boston.
The most obvious reason to stay with the Celtics is they likely give him the best chance to compete in the NBA Finals on a regular basis. The Celtics’ roster is loaded entering the new campaign, especially with Irving and Gordon Hayward returning from season-ending injuries.
Irving talked about Boston’s plethora of talent in a recent ESPN story by Jackie MacMullan, saying “because of who we have, and what we’re establishing here, not just for this season, but for hopefully for the next few years, something that’s pretty special.”
Other writers chimed in, offering their takes on Irving’s future in Boston:
I've written and said on podcasts repeatedly that Boston is confident Kyrie is staying — and that I think he will stay. Everything can change in a year (injuries, whatever else), but he sounds excited about what Boston is building. https://t.co/EBTOMFfEvC
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) September 21, 2018
Irving’s immediate goal is helping the Celtics advance past the Eastern Conference finals — where their last two playoff runs ended — and reach the 2019 NBA Finals, where the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors likely would await.
