Report: Kyrie Irving Has 'Essentially Ghosted' Celtics This Offseason
By Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics and Kyrie Irving will chat about the point guard's future sometime this week. It will reportedly be the first time that Boston has talked to the free agent in weeks.
According to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, Irving has "essentially ghosted" the Celtics over the last few weeks, which is never a good sign for a team trying to sign a player. The six-time All-Star declined his player option for next season just last week, so the C's have been in the dark on Irving's future since that point.
The strangest part of the Irving situation right now is that it appears he has essentially ghosted on the Celtics. The people within the organization I have spoken with have made it clear that they have had little, if any, communication with Irving in recent weeks.
Irving also made an agent change since declining his $21.3 million option for the 2019-20 season, firing longtime agent Jeff Wechsler to reportedly sign with Roc Nation Sports. Chances are that will not be the only change Irving will make this offseason.
Considering their relationship currently resembles that of some terribly written high school drama, this does not bode well for Boston this offseason. Irving's silence speaks volumes about where he's at with the Celtics; he used a similar move when he wanted out of Cleveland two summers ago, cutting ties with those inside the Cavaliers organization. Irving is reportedly set to sign with the Brooklyn Nets when free agency opens at the end of the month, and the Celtics would probably like some closure on the whole ordeal before they hit Thursday night's NBA Draft.
Boston had hoped to lure Irving back this summer by trading for Anthony Davis, but he was sent from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade over the weekend. That should essentially end any chance of Boston getting last season's leading scorer back, barring some last-second change of heart from Irving.