Kyrie Irving has undergone an unprecedented transformation, going from undisputed leader of the Boston Celtics to merely the star expected to hold the fort for a struggling team. The Celtics franchise point guard has been very different lately, especially after coming back from the All-Star break, looking “disengaged” on the court and “detached” from the rest of his teammates, as Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer noted in a recent piece:

These days, Irving plays lackadaisical defense, and unfocused offense. Sources around the team told me that Irving’s persona has changed, too: He’s become disengaged and detached from those around the team.

These observations go deeper than mere hoopla, as it has become quite evident that Irving is looking out for himself after he went back on his commitment to Boston to say he will make the best decision for his future:

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“There is talk that Irving’s friendships on the team start and end with Tatum, with whom he shares an agent,” wrote O'Connor. “Two sources peg Irving’s change in demeanor to early February, around the time he was asked about the possibility of joining the New York Knicks next season. That’s when Irving infamously said he’d make the best decision for his family and that he didn’t “owe anybody sh*t.” This induced panic among Boston fans. After all, it was a much different tune than the one Irving was singing in October 2018, when he told a gathering of Celtics season-ticket holders that he intended to re-sign with the team (multiple sources say that same commitment was expressed to his teammates).”

It's worthy to note that Irving's last clear commitment to Boston was after the Celtics had started to right the ship and put the early-season losses behind them, and his take-back quote came after the Celtics had undergone a roller coaster of wins and losses, making him rather unsure of what lies ahead.

Irving had ties to the Knicks from the offseason, but none considered deep enough to become a threat, only prospective. Yet the All-Star Weekend talks with Kevin Durant further expanded on the idea of the once-rivals in the NBA Finals uniting forces in The Big Apple, something that could still become a reality come July.