LAS VEGAS -- Kyrie Irving played at times during the Celtics season like he wanted to be somewhere else. Knicks forward Bobby Portis revealed on Sunday that may have been the case for much of the season.
In an interview with Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, Portis revealed that he was aware that Irving was leaving Boston as early as February.
“I knew what was gonna happen in February,” he told Vorkunov. “We all knew that (Durant and Irving would head to Brooklyn). Everybody knew that. I just don’t think the media knew that. Us basketball players, we all knew that.”
The validity of the reveal brings more questions to the forefront of Irving’s final year in Boston. February was the same time that Irving’s discontent with the Celtics roster was starting to become more public with his ‘Ask me July 1st’ line to reporters at Madison Square Garden on February 2nd turning heads when he was asked about his commitment to Boston.
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The Celtics still had a few days to deal Irving at that point ahead of the February 7 trade deadline, but the team declined to do so. Boston's brass clearly believed at the time that Irving's statement was not an indictment on his long-term commitment to the team or perhaps they simply believed the situation could be rectified in the next few months. Danny Ainge was adamant that this group could turn things around and play up to their potential all the way up to the start of the postseason, an assumption that fell apart once the Celtics fell apart against the Bucks.
A fair amount of second-guessing is valid in the wake of Boston's top asset walking without a return and Portis' comment should only fan the flames on that front. What Irving promised Boston at this stage of the season won't be known until Ainge addresses the media later this week, but it's safe to say from Ainge's comments with Toucher and Rich back in February that he felt confident about his standing.
Irving's signing in Brooklyn became official on Sunday on a four-year contract. Durant should follow shortly in what will be a sign-and-trade deal with the Warriors involving D'Angelo Russell.