In spite of incessant rumors that Kyrie Irving was strongly considering signing with a New York team in free agency this summer, the Boston Celtics still had plenty of hope that they could bring him back.
Now, it appears that hope is dwindling.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, the Celtics' belief that Irving could potentially re-up with them once free agency opens on June 30 has “eroded.”
Himmelsbach does add that Boston still thinks that Irving could re-sign if the C's swing a trade for New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis, but also says that the likelihood of Irving coming back seems to be decreasing.
He also notes that even with their faith in re-signing Irving torpedoing, the Celtics will still pursue a trade for Davis.
Boston has the best package to offer the Pelicans, as it can put together a combination of young players and picks that no other team in the league can match. However, it is also known that Davis does not seem too fond of the idea of playing in Boston, and you have to think that if Irving leaves, the chances of Davis re-signing with the C's next summer are very slim.
As a result, the Celtics have not shown a willingness to offer the Pelicans a significant deal.
Boston originally acquired Irving in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the summer of 2017, sending Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a draft pick to the Cavaliers in return.
Irving made the All-Star team in each of his first two seasons with the C's, but a knee issue kept him out of the playoffs in 2018.
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