Kyrie Irving Free Agency: 3 reasons Kyrie Irving should stay with the Boston Celtics this summer
Heading into the 2018-19 season, Kyrie Irving was widely tipped to lead the Boston Celtics to the 2019 NBA Finals. After all, LeBron James had finally left for the West, and the Celtics themselves were coming off of a season in which their promising young core had put them within a game of the Finals.
But Boston have struggled for consistency all season long, and the team's inconsistency has put the future of Irving very much in doubt. The 26-year-old will become a free agent later this year and both the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks are believed to be preparing a move.
An Irving departure is most certainly a distinct possibility. However, here we will look at three reasons why Irving should stay with the Celtics.
#3 Doubts remain over the ability of Lakers and Knicks to compete
While Irving has been continually linked with a move away from the Celtics for the past 12 months, only two realistic options have emerged - Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. But while the Lakers and Knicks are undeniably huge teams located in major markets, there are question marks over their ability to allow Irving to challenge for a Championship.
The Lakers once again failed to make the playoffs this season, having failed to surround LeBron James with the right talent. And the previous combination of Irving and LeBron was often brushed aside by the Golden State Warriors.
Meanwhile, the Knicks have won just 14 games this season, and Kristaps Porzingis has also left the team. The team wants to add both Kevin Durant and Irving in free-agency, although KD is far from certain to join. And even if he did, the Knicks would still be a work in progress.
Ultimately, if Irving wants to contend next season, the Celtics remain his best option.