Kyrie Irving shocked most of the NBA world on Thursday evening by announcing his intention to re-sign with the Celtics next summer 10 months ahead of schedule. He gave a little more of his thinking about his decision on Friday morning at the Auerbach Center ahead of the team's trip to Cleveland for the preseason finale.
"I just have every intention of signing back," Irving said. "Me and Danny and management have not talked about any numbers, so please do not ask me about it. That goes for anybody -- we don't want any tampering or anything like that. July first, whatever that day is, we'll talk about contracts and stuff like that. I have every intention of signing back with Boston."
Team sources confirmed to Bostonsportsjournal.com that the announcement did not come as a surprise to them. Irving spoke with members of the team and front office ahead of his declaration to season ticket holders at the TD Garden. The All-Star point guard gave some more rationale behind his thinking the day after announcing his intentions.
"I think the important thing was just being happy and having an environment where I'm challenged on a physical level as well as mental," Irving said. "I can get better as a basketball player, as a man -- and grow here. I do have a dream of putting my number 11 in the rafters one day, if I'm so blessed to do that. Work my tail off. Obviously a lot of great players have come before me, but to grow my name in Boston Celtics tradition and history is something I'm glad I can do."
Irving's premature announcement likely stemmed from a variety of motivating factors, but he knows it will make life easier for an organization that paid a significant price to acquire him last August. The knowledge that he is no longer a flight risk should help this group focus in on the bigger team goals that lie before them this year, instead of his own future.
"I know I made a lot of guys comfortable," Irving said of his announcement. "Our management, coaching staff, they don't have to worry about recruiting me the whole season and telling me how great it is to be a Celtic and be here. I came to that myself. Me asking the Celtics if they would have me back, that was the first question. I just wanted to make sure and then at that point, it was an easy decision to plan on re-signing."
Irving also confirmed that he had let a few of his teammates in on the secret as well prior to Thursday night.
"I hope they were happy," Irving said. "I think that, as you can tell, we're getting closer as a group, but we have something special here in terms of the environment we create. We all support one another and I think it's great that we all can grow together."
A few other nuggets of note from Friday's practice:
- Irving (sore ribs) and Gordon Hayward (sore back) will not make the trip to Cleveland for the preseason finale on Saturday night.
- Irving approved of the Celtics giving Julian Edelman wearing a No. 11 Celtics jersey that he showed off at the presser following the Pats' win over the Colts. "It passed by me before it got to him," he said. "I'm appreciative of him. He's a great person. Hopefully, I'll ask the Patriots if they can give me a No. 11 jersey with my name on the back, just like Edelman. That'd be nice."
- Irving on the prospect of having his jersey retired eventually in Boston: "Unbelievable, because it’s a challenge in itself. I can sit up here and say I want to be one of these guys, a lot of great players in Celtics history. That’s a challenge in itself. I willingly accept that, and I look forward to it. I’m looking forward to where we end up. I thought it was a perfect time to let everyone know, and that I have every intent to sign back, and now I don’t have to answer any more questions like what are you looking for. It’s time and I’m glad to get past it and be with my teammates. Now we can move forward."
- On eliminating the rumors: "The things you really consider, obviously you have different environments, but I’m happy here. Every single day is at an all-time competitive high. What more can you ask for from an organization than taking a chance and getting me out of Cleveland. Really taking a chance regardless of whether I signed back or not. They had the same attitude. They just wanted to show me what being a Celtic is about, and hoped I would come around, and I absolutely did. I look forward to the franchise and the players we have here."