Ainge on Irving's Boston racism comments: "I never heard that from Kyrie, and I talked to him quite a bit"

Ainge & Kyrie back when Irving loved Boston so much he hoped to finish his career here

Danny Ainge was on Toucher and Rich this morning and pushed back on Kyrie Irving's comments from Tuesday night.

"I think that we take those kinds of things seriously," Ainge said. "I never heard any of that from any player in my 26 years in Boston. I never heard that from Kyrie, and I talked to him quite a bit. I don’t know. As far as I’m concerned, we’re just playing basketball."

It's worth noting that Ainge and all the Celtics player have taken the high road since Kyrie Irving quit on the team left during free agency. Ainge has not said a bad word and the players multiple times last season made sure to distance themselves from any notion that their bounce back year and better locker room had anything to do with Irving leaving.

Irving himself close to the end of his tenure with the Celtics told reporters that he had never experienced racism in Boston. Ainge is correct though in saying that Irving's (and Durant's) comments could have an influence with players in the future.

“I think that everybody’s influencing somebody,” Ainge told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich on Thursday. “So yeah, I think that there’s – my fear is that could possibly happen. But I think that our players, and players that have played here in the past, all have their experiences to share, and that’s just one player.”

Reality is that Irving's and Durant's knocks on Boston will have an effect on Boston's attempt to add players in the future. Just like when Ainge traded IsaiaH Thomas that had an effect. Doesn't matter if it would have been lunacy for Ainge to give an injured Thomas a max deal, perception is the key. Supposedly Anthony Davis ruled Boston out because of that trade.

While Ainge and the Celtics have taken the high road with Irving, the talented point guard continues to do damage to Boston whether on the floor for the Nets or behind a mic.
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