"Sources" say Kyrie Irving is staying in Boston

Let me be abundantly clear: the "source" I speak of is myself. And no, I am not a source. I'm merely illustrating the sports world we live in, where everyone has an opinion and can share said opinion behind the guise of a click-bait headline, in hopes of creating a story that's really a non-story to hopefully gain viewers/followers.

Like this gem from a show that rhymes with "worst bake" from the four-letter network.


What is Kyrie really saying here? I don't know, maybe he's saying the other thing written right above that statement. That he wants to win a title. (insert face-to-palm emoji here)

If this type of thing weren't so infuriating, it would be comical.

What really sparked all of this, however, took place last week during a presser. Conjuring hundreds of misleading words out of thin air with the likes of master illusionist David Blaine, reporters started with the nonsense of Kyrie's uncertain future a nanosecond after Boston Celtics superstar point guard Kyrie Irving spoke to the media.

 

On paper, just reading "...doesn't make sense" can make people squirm. I get it. That one statement, however, spoken with the nonchalance of someone satisfied with his position as team captain, was taken out of context.

But that's all the news outlets needed to begin a twister of twisted words, questioning Kyrie's loyalty to the Celtics, some even going as far as saying he's "eyeing" a move to the Knicks because he mentioned the New York Knicks as a desired destination to his then Cleveland Cavaliers teammates. I might add, he mentioned this during his disgruntled tenure with the Cavs. Some counter by saying, "well, if he's not happy with one of the games GOATs, vying for titles every year, then he could leave."

Theoretically, yes. But let's remember something. Kyrie wanted his own team. He got it. Then Lebron came back and it was no longer his team.

Make no mistake. The Boston Celtics, for all intents and purposes, are his team. Thus the ear-to-ear smile of Uncle Drew as he talks about what can come of next season when "my man Gordon" is back.

So, let's pump the brakes, people. Actually, scratch that. Slam on the brakes, and pull the emergency brake while you're at it. Kyrie is CORRECT -- signing an extension this summer makes NO SENSE for him. The operative words that a lot of people are conveniently leaving out, however, is "THIS SUMMER."

 Why is he right? First off, because he'd be losing out on a ton of cash.
Now, while many folk from Boston to Bosnia like to mock Kyrie for his flat Earth comments, one thing cannot be disputed: Kyrie is an intellectual. He chooses his words wisely.

The other day, Kyrie sat down with The Undefeated and offered what should be comforting words regarding his stay with the Cs.

In regards to finances, this is also a guy who, per his comments to Bill Simmons on The Bill Simmons Podcast, watches CNBC all day long, listening to financial reports, the stock ticker, etc. In other words, Kyrie Irving knows his value. He knows he's a top 3 point guard in the entire league (#1 in my book). And he knows that, while he and his knee have seen the inside of a surgical room more times than he'd care to remember, he's worth every dime of the max contract he surely knows he can get from Boston.

Today, Coach Brad Stevens spoke to the media. When asked about Kyrie's future with the Celtics, he said:

Midway through yesterday's draft, ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg continued the convo.

"I feel really good about our situation," said Stevens. Really good about our situation sounds like "yeah, we're not worried about it."

"...open dialogue with the direction we're going in," Kyrie stated. I mean, if there's open dialogue about the future, then you best believe his intentions are to be with Boston long term. If they weren't, well, I think we all know what Danny would be doing right now/would've already done last night.

So, let's do some quick math here:

The Boston Celtics offer Kyrie the most money, his own team, a roster that was 5-minutes from the Finals without him and Gordon Hayward, a storied franchise with championship pedigree, an elite coach, and top-notch management/ownership. No one else can offer that. Not even the Warriors. And sure as hell not the Knicks.

Some may call me an optimist for my views that Kyrie isn't going anywhere. But I prefer to call it reading the tea leaves and banking on the combined IQs of Kyrie, Danny Ainge, and Brad Stevens.

Could he bolt after next season? Sure. But to me, the signs are all pointed to the notion that Kyrie isn't going anywhere. And that's not click-bait.

What do you all think? Let us know in the comments below. 

Follow Edward Babaian on Twitter: @bojixbabaian

Photo Credit: SB Nation