Everyone knew it was going to be a wild summer for the Celtics, but given Boston’s unceremonious exit from the NBA playoffs, the Green’s silly season is beginning in spring.
The Celtics are still in the process of picking up the pieces after being dispatched from the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks in just five games. What’s next is an offseason destined to be filled with change, the looming Kyrie Irving situation being the biggest domino that must fall.
The general consensus seems to be most expect Irving to opt out of his contract and leave Boston once July 1 arrives. That’s a sharp contrast from Irving’s preseason insistence he’d remain in Boston. The apparent change of heart also affects Boston’s reported pursuit of New Orleans Hornets big man Anthony Davis. The superstars are friends, and re-signing Irving was viewed as a necessary step to not only acquiring Davis but convincing him to stay in Boston for the long term.
But in his Celtics autopsy for The Athletic, longtime NBA reporter David Aldridge revealed an interesting nugget. Aldridge reported there might be a chance the Celtics could convince Davis to stay in Boston regardless of what Irving ultimately decides to do.
“I’ve heard that Davis wouldn’t completely rule out staying with the Celtics without Irving, but the odds of him re-upping in that scenario are significantly lower,” Aldridge wrote.
Admittedly, there’s not much there. It’s not groundbreaking stuff, and if you’re a Celtics fans hoping to see Davis on the parquet next year, that tidbit alone doesn’t give you a ton of confidence it’s going to happen. But it is an interesting wrinkle in the ongoing Davis saga, especially considering everyone assumed he and Irving would have to be a package deal for both to remain with the Celtics for the foreseeable future.
It’s going to be an interesting spring and even more fascinating summer.
