Kyrie Irving admits he could have handled himself better than he did.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum told reporters Wednesday the Brooklyn Nets star regrets the way he handled “some things” during his tenure in Boston. Tatum then declined to elaborate on Irving’s lament when asked, according to NBA writer Keith Smith.
” … Obviously we’ve talked and there’s some things that he probably told me wish he could do (or) would’ve done differently,” Tatum said at a press conference, as seen in a video NBC Sports Boston shared via Twitter. “But I think that’s just part of life. Nobody’s perfect, and you just move on from it as you get older.”
Many will assume the regrets Tatum touches upon center around Irving’s contentious 2019 decision to leave the Celtics in free agency. Whether Irving is happy in Brooklyn or would take a free-agency do-over if offered probably isn’t his specific point of sorrow. We presume it has something to do with the way he carried himself after deciding to leave the Celtics late in the 2018-19 season.
Irving on Tuesday said he looks forward to the “great test” the Celtics will pose his Nets in the playoffs. The feeling in Boston certainly seems to be mutual.
The Celtics and Nets will meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Game 1 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
