When Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge initially acquired Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers two summers ago, he was well aware that this could be a daunting proposition. Yet Ainge maintains that even if Irving leaves this summer, he'd never regret making the move in the first place.
“There's always risk in making deals,” said Ainge, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. “We’re not afraid of risk. We made a risk by trading for Kyrie and, no matter what happens with Kyrie, I’ll never regret that. You just move on, to the next deal.”
Irving had three years remaining in his contract after signing an extension in 2014, the last of them a player-option, which ultimately would decide if he would stay in Bean Town or leave for a different team.
The Celtics rolled the dice by going through with the trade and undoubtedly won, as there are only vestiges of the return the Cleveland Cavaliers got from trading him.
Yet Irving's constant state of flux could wind up costing the Celtics in the end, as he could choose to take his talents elsewhere and put a bow on his short two-year stint with the team.
However, Ainge didn't lose on much, considering he wasn't fully sold on offering Isaiah Thomas “the Brinks truck” after finishing the season on the sidelines with a hip injury, one he's yet to fully recover from.
While the Celtics have enjoyed most of two seasons of Irving's dazzling talent, Thomas has played for three teams, getting very little run for any of them.
It's unlikely that Ainge will hang his head whether Irving stays or leaves, always willing to live to roll the dice another day.
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