The Celtics are built for the long haul, but could that be a factor in driving one of their premier players out of Boston?
Kyrie Irving already has vocalized his intention to re-sign with the Celtics next summer, but not all fans and media members are completely sold on the guard’s future plans. Shannon Sharpe certainly isn’t, and he presented a possible reason why Irving could leave Boston during Wednesday’s edition of “Undisputed” on FOX Sports 1.
“Here’s something that bears watching: Jayson Tatum. I’m not so sure that even when Kyrie plays his best night, that Jayson Tatum might be the best player on this ball club,” Sharpe said. “That’s gonna be very, very interesting because you know Kyrie said one of the reasons also that he left (Cleveland) is that he wanted his own team. There’s an old saying that says ‘you got to be careful ’cause you can make your destiny on the very road you took to avoid it.’
There’s no denying Tatum’s ceiling, and the 20-year-old very well could turn into a perennial All-Star sooner rather than later. But let’s not lose sight of Irving, who already has five All-Star selections and an NBA title on his résumé at age 26. Irving’s personality also fits the makeup of a leader, and it’s far too early to gauge Tatum’s leadership level.
Plus, Irving isn’t a fool. The star point guard has been around the NBA long enough to understand how special the Celtics are shaping up to be. Not just now, but for years to come as well. And with title aspirations in mind, Irving would be hard-pressed to find another situation around the league that offers a better opportunity to rake in more hardware.
