By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Done with the ‘Uncle Drew’ PR tour, Celtics guard Kyrie Irving decided to take in some basketball on Thursday.
Joining Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown in the front row of the Celtics’ Summer League playoff game, Kyrie was all smiles and joined in on the fun of cheering on some current (and maybe future) teammates. It is of course worth noting that the Celtics were taking on the New York Knicks’ Summer League team. And in a scene that makes us all sound like Bobby Heenan as Hulk Hogan formed the NWO in the mid-90s, it was easy to find yourself screaming, “But whose side is he on?!”
But according to NBA reporter Keith Smith, the rampant speculation that Kyrie will bolt for the Knicks in 2019 due to unhappiness with his situation with the Celtics is just noise. Noise you should most definitely ignore, too.
“Ignore that noise about Kyrie not liking it in Boston and about being jealous of the kids and the attention they get,” a team source told Smith. “This team is closer than any team I can remember.”
????????@FCHWPO & @KyrieIrving check in from @NBASummerLeague! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/4xWQNYP5Z9
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2018
This comes after a summer of interviews that have made the 26-year-old Irving appear both decidedly tightlipped and non-committal when asked about a long-term future in Boston. And amid rumors that Irving and Minnesota’s Jimmy Butler want to team up in the Eastern Conference, which seems rather unlikely in Boston given the Celtics’ cap commitments and roster.
Oh, and that the Knicks are a legitimate threat to swoop in and woo the hometown talent to Madison Square Garden.
But the Celtics have reportedly remained confident in their ability to re-sign Irving.
In fact, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has made it a point to say that the Celtics won’t ‘sell’ Irving on anything, but rather hope he sees what the C’s are building as the potential powerhouse of the East for years to come.
And if Smith’s report holds any weight, that won’t be all that difficult.
Ty Anderson is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Ty? Follow him on Twitter @_TyAnderson.