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At the start of this season, Kyrie Irving stood before the crowd inside TD Garden and announced his devotion to the Celtics. Now, just a few months later, the former Duke Blue Devil has changed his tune.
During Friday morning's media availability, Irving made a surprising revelation, noting that he “doesn't owe anyone sh**” with regards to his future.
Kyrie Irving has shifted from his commitment to re-signing with the Celtics: “I don’t owe anybody shit.”
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) February 1, 2019
Irving, now 26 years of age, says he isn't worried about reputation or legacy. His main concern is his family.
“I’m not worried about a reputation, I’m not worried about a legacy to leave, I’m just trying to be a human being and make the best decision for me and my family,” Irving told ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth.
Exactly where Irving might land in the event of a trade is still up for speculation. Several teams would be interested in his services, but the Knicks, who traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks on Thursday, seem to be emerging as a front-runner in the early stages of the race.
With Porzingis off the roster, the Knicks are projected to have as much as $74.6 million in cap space, which is enough capital to sign two players to max deals.
The Knicks could be staring at $74.6M in projected cap space for next season. That would be good enough for 2 max slots.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 31, 2019
Irving, who's currently dealing with a left hip strain, was born in Australia, but he grew up in New Jersey. It's a well-known fact that he has a certain affinity for the Knicks organization. Whether or not they'll be able to land him remains to be seen.
Kyrie Irving acknowledged he sees the Knicks positioning themselves for this summer. Said he respects the organization.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) February 1, 2019
Fittingly, the Celtics (32-19 and 3rd in the Atlantic Division standings) are scheduled to face the Knicks on Friday night. Tip-off inside Madison Square Garden is set for 7:30 p.m., with ESPN having live broadcast coverage.
