FOX Sports 1 analyst Cris Carter is expecting NBA teams to have a few reservations about signing Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving during a much-awaited offseason.
According to “a prominent NBA executive,” questions about Irving's overall health and aging body at the ripe age of 27 have become real concerns for front offices, despite him being one of the elite talents available for poaching this summer:
“I talked to a prominent NBA executive who said ‘Kyrie Irving is young, but he has an old body,'” said Carter on “First Things First.” “And you have to understand that those last couple of years, you might be taking home someone who is damaged goods, who is only a shell of himself. But also, there is people that would take Kyrie if he's with Kevin Durant. If Kevin Durant said ‘I want Kyrie,' then Kyrie is gonna be on the team with KD.”
.@criscarter80 talked to a prominent NBA executive who said teams may be worried about Kyrie's aging body. pic.twitter.com/4fk8foP7eg
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 23, 2019
Irving infamously threatened the Cleveland Cavaliers with sitting out the entire 2017-18 season if he wasn't traded in the offseason. He eventually had to have two surgeries on his damaged knee, which forced him to miss the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
While the latter was a clean-up procedure to remove debridement from his previously operated knee (arthroscopy), this is bound to be a persistent issue for Irving, who at 27 is already being “maintained” throughout the season with load management for his ailing knee.
Irving is still plenty good to be a sought-after asset, but when it comes to doling out close to $40 million in what would be the last year of his deal, teams will have to think closely if the gambit is worth the reward, as his recurring knee issues might cut him short of the four (or five) years teams might expect for their buck.
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