Kyrie Irving had as interesting a summer as any NBA player, which is quite a feat in one of the wildest offseasons in recent memory. The All-Star point guard requested a trade from the Cavaliers, choosing to move on from a franchise that was close to a lock for the Finals each year in order to prove himself as a star beyond being LeBron James’ sidekick.
Irving was granted a trade by the Cavs, who shipped him off to Boston in an incredibly intriguing trade considering the Celtics are their top rival in the Eastern Conference. Irving seems very happy with the move, praising his new organization and city, while also sending some parting shots at Cleveland, either intentionally or accidentally.
Most recently, Irving told reporters that he was thrilled to be in a “real, live sports city” like Boston, which certainly didn’t play well in Cleveland. Cavs fans won’t have to wait long before they get to let Irving know how they feel about his comments and his departure in general, as the Celtics open the season in Cleveland on Tuesday.
Irving is aware of how the matchup is being marketed and why it’s a big deal, but as he told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears, he sees it as just another basketball game.
“No. Why would it be? It’s just hoops,” Irving said before Wednesday’s shootaround in preparation for a preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets. “It’s just hooping. I understand the magnitude … But I know what it is going to entail in terms of marketing, whatever the case may be, to garner up this energy to make people feel a certain type of way. I get all that. It’s part of the game. It’s been a part of the game for a while. But, it’s just two hoops and a basketball.
“It’s all love no matter what. I have heard boos at times to hearing cheers in the parade. I’ve been in the championship parade as well as being down 30 in ‘Q Arena.’ So, I’ve heard it all. It’s just good to be there and hoop against a great team like the Cavs.”
With most any other player in the league, I’d call shenanigans on that, but as we’ve learned over the past year, Kyrie is a different kind of guy. His viewpoint on life and the world around him is very different than most, which is what makes him such a fascinating personality.
Irving gets why others are excited about his return, but seems assured, at least outwardly, that he’s moved on to a new stage of his life and will be approaching the opener like he does any other game. The things Irving’s said since his departure from Cleveland have all been complimentary of his time with the Cavs, but also noted that he just generally felt an emptiness or at least a general lack of fulfillment in his life while in the role he was in — even if that was crucial for him taking the necessary steps into stardom.
Now, he’s his own star, albeit with a pair of very strong auxiliary stars around him in Gordon Hawyard and Al Horford, and can test himself as he wanted to without the safety net of LeBron next to him.
As for how Tuesday night will go at the Q, I’d guess any hopes of a nice ovation for Irving from the majority of the crowd are gone, and he should expect them to try and prove their chops as a “real” sports town to him.
