The Boston Celtics watched their season come crashing to an end in the Eastern Conference semifinals when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. They won Game 1 of that series before losing the next four games. Now, there is speculation that All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is not going to return to the team next season.
Irving, who is set to become a free agent this summer, has shown his dissatisfaction with the team on multiple occasions. There is speculation around the league that his teammates don't want to play with him either. It seems that the relationship between Kyrie and the Celtics has already been severed, which is the main reason Kyrie reportedly wants a new place to play basketball next season.
NBA analyst Colin Cowherd had a chance to discuss Kyrie's situation with college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, who claims that he has known Kyrie for a long time. When the two discussed Irving's situation with the Celtics during an episode of The Herd Podcast, Goodman said he knows that the All-Star guard will be signing elsewhere this summer.
“I’d be surprised if he stays in Boston. You see his body language. You hear enough smoke, you know there's something going on here. Obviously, Kyrie’s kinda moody, he’s got a tight inner circle. So, I’m not sure how much validity some of (the rumors have), but again, I don’t expect him to be in Boston. You could see it in the locker room and with his teammates, that they almost don’t know how to take to Kyrie Irving.”
Goodman added that Irving has become a difficult person to be with, and that the Celtics won't be that devastated if they lose him this summer because they still have the core that led them to the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
“I’ve known him a long time, Colin, and, honestly, he’s become tough to like. He has. Obviously, he's an elite level talent. But we saw it in the playoffs. He kinda got swallowed up because he's not the most athletic dude in the world. And this group was far more entertaining to watch a year ago in the playoffs with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier. I’m not sure how many people in Boston, including Danny Ainge, would be that unhappy if Kyrie Irving leaves.”
Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has stated on multiple occasions that he still plans to do everything to re-sign Kyrie. However, with what happened in their playoff run and with the way Irving is acting, it might be better for the franchise to let him walk away.
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