Fansided

NBA Free Agency 2019: 20 best players available

By Brendon Kleen

Mandatory Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 8: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics looks on during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 8: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics looks on during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Kyrie Irving, G, Boston Celtics, Unrestricted (Already declined player option)

Everything is moving in the direction of Irving heading to the Nets, from the team’s sudden deal to use draft picks to offload Allen Crabbe’s salary to Irving signing with Roc Nation Sports, an agency co-owned by former Nets minority owner Jay-Z and run by the twin brother of the man who manages the business side of the Nets.

One fairly well-connected Celtics journalist is already reporting the contract is effectively a done deal between Brooklyn and Irving. This despite Boston’s continued interest in Anthony Davis until he was shipped to the Lakers and general manager Danny Ainge’s fairly neutral statements about Irving’s destiny.

This is not an unexpected decision by any means, as Irving’s relationship with his teammates and management clearly was rocky all year and appeared to sour by the playoffs, as the Celtics lost four straight games to Milwaukee to end their season. The mercurial guard has gained a reputation for being up and down, difficult to read, and reportedly often separates himself from the team for long stretches of the season.

If you’re the Nets, finally on the upswing after a painful rebuild, signing Irving is a risk worth taking. Perhaps being in a more comfortable situation that he himself chose will satisfy Irving more than Boston could. The expectations are surely lower in Brooklyn as well, even if the core around him will be less optimized for immediate playoff success.

Irving, at his best, is still a top-15 player in the NBA. He is one of the league’s best scorers and continues to get more efficient as a scorer and playmaker into his prime. Brooklyn is getting a great player, but the bigger challenge will be everything that happens when Irving unlaces his sneakers and has to cooperate within the structure of a franchise betting on him in a big way.

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