Kyrie Irving’s timeline of controversial Celtics moments :- When questioned about the exchange, Irving hinted that he was irritated that a private chat with one of his closest friends had turned into a major plot point. According to The Boston Globe, Irving stated, “When I’m out there in the NBA, I don’t have a private life.” The fact that someone wants to record a video is unavoidable.
Kyrie Irving’s timeline of controversial Celtics moments
Cover [the conjecture] with water? I’m a human speaking with one of my best friends. It’s simply absurd. This is the thing that detracts from the enjoyment of the league. Nobody does [crap] like that to help the league get more exposure. It’s absurd to put things on that are only fictional yet similar to what we’re discussing. That must be what you’re after, huh?
Of course, after the 2018–19 NBA season, Irving and Durant linked up again with the Nets. He may not have brought up the subject with Durant during their recorded exchange, but at some point the two players made the decision to play together before deciding to sign a high-paying, long-term contract extension in Brooklyn.
Also see :- Jayson Tatum gets candid about Kyrie Irving’s disappointing Celtics run ahead of 2024 NBA Finals
Kyrie Irving’s last season with the Celtics ended in disappointment. Despite Irving’s uncertain future, the Celtics kept losing ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race. In the opening round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, they defeated the Pacers handily before facing difficulties in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Bucks.
Boston gave fans hope that the Celtics may defeat the Bucks after winning game one of the series 112–90. Milwaukee, on the other hand, defeated Boston by an average of 16.3 points per game over the course of the next four games.
Irving had a terrible game for the Celtics offence in those four games, hitting only 25 of 83 shots. Then, in a matter of months, his exit from the team seemed unlikely, but he signed a free agent contract with the Nets.
Why did Kyrie Irving sign with the Nets instead of the Celtics? In September 2019, Irving began his media day appearance by elaborating on his choice to sign with the Boston Celtics. After his grandfather passed away early in the 2018–19 NBA season, he disclosed that he wished to relocate nearer to his New Jersey home in order to be nearer to his family.
“After he passed, basketball was the last thing on my mind,” Irving stated. “I lost a great deal of enjoyment from playing basketball. I had a facial expression that I kept with me the entire year. I was particularly troubled by the fact that I didn’t let anyone get close to me at that time.
“I didn’t take the required actions to deal with the death of someone close to me, such as seeking therapy or counselling. I have never had to deal with something similar. I therefore reacted in a way that is unusual for me.”
Irving went on to say that he discussed his situation with the Celtics. The fact that basketball kept him from seeing his grandfather before he passed away, however, made him reconsider his decision to resign in Boston.
“I intended to resign after speaking with Danny [Ainge]. Thus, as the year went on, it became increasingly evident that my relationship with my family came before anyone else or the organisation,” Irving stated.
“A lot of the battles I thought I could battle through in the [Boston] team environment, I just wasn’t ready for,” he said. “And in the sense that I didn’t give them everything I had during that season, I failed those guys. I didn’t succeed in uniting everyone and leading that group of people.”
Irving’s justification for his choice was undoubtedly insightful, and his acknowledgement that he “failed” his Celtics teammates demonstrated his willingness to shoulder some of the blame for the turbulent breakup.
Even still, Irving’s statement that he “didn’t give them everything that [he] could have” before to his departure infuriated Boston supporters. That cemented his reputation as a villain in the eyes of the Celtics supporters, as did his choice to sign with a division rival team.
