Kyrie Irving Odds: Where Does the Star Guard Land in 2019-20?

• Vegas is getting in on the Kyrie Irving rumor mill 
• The Celtics offer the most compelling situation to compete long term
• We take a stab at dark horse teams that could make a move

It was, in fact, a simple answer to a simple question. Kyrie Irving, just 60 games into his Boston Celtics tenure, was asked if he was going to sign an extension with the team this summer.

Kyrie Irving not considering an extension. "Contractually, financially, it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Kyrie ready for the daily barrage of future question but said focus is on 18-19 season.

"I’m pretty sure management and I will have a talk, but that talk won’t happen now."

— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) June 12, 2018

Let’s just say that that statement is lingering in a not-so-positive way for Celtics fans. However, it makes sense. The logic is penned right here:

Let me be among the last to chime in on Kyrie Irving and an extension and why he's not signing one now:

Extension is 4 years/~$108M + 1 year left at $20M =
Total 5 years/~$128M

Projected new deal in 2019 is 5 years/~$188M + 1 year left at $20M =
Total 6 years/~$208M

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 12, 2018

Surely that makes things pretty clear. But I’m no psych major, so I’ll leave it to Cobb to explain how the mind works.

Also, recent NBA transactions haven’t done much to settle fans’ nerves, with the wild star movement we’ve seen over the last three years. No one can take anything for granted anymore.

Recent NBA transactions haven’t done much to settle fans’ nerves, with the wild star movement we’ve seen over the last three years.

So while we don’t know exactly what’s on his agenda, we do know Irving is an unrestricted free agent next summer.

And that, in itself, is probably what got all of us thinking. Vegas included.

Let’s throw sanity to the wind – it’s more fun crunching odds, anyways.

Kyrie Irving’s Team Opening Night NBA 2019-20 Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K04vEewMDFc

The Favorites

There is really no better situation than the one that Boston has in front of Irving right now, and really, for the rest of his career. Then again, being asked to score the holy hell out of the basketball while LeBron James did everything else seemed like a dope proposition too.

Boston’s roster is littered with rising stars and established vets to go along with a treasure trove of assets that is still the envy of the league. That is enough to lure another megastar, easily. A whole lot would have to go wrong for Irving to want out.

"Don't tell me New York's not viable. Cap space next year, stars moving… Watch this story on Kyrie Irving and the Knicks." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/CW46s0VnlE

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 1, 2018

The NYC representatives

Closing in on the Bean Towners are your New York Knickerbockers. Kyrie fanned the flames a little bit on this one when he shared a story about an interaction with Knicks star and injured All-Star Kristaps Porzingis.

You know what this story needs? Another superst … oh wouldn’t you know.

Jimmy Butler liked a comment saying he and Kyrie should come to the Knicks next summer. 👀 pic.twitter.com/NnkCsXXLEL

— Thomas Duffy (@TJDhoops) July 12, 2018

But the Butler-Kyrie stuff is also picking up steam across the way in Brooklyn. Some shrewd dealing by the Nets (that hasn’t been heard in a while) has them in position to bring in a couple of stars. Are they eyeing a killer backcourt?

Unless I'm missing something, Charlotte took on an extra year of Moz salary (19-20) and two seconds to maybe make sure they duck the tax in 18-19? (Nets have a bunch of extra 2nds). Absolutely brutal. Great deal for the Nets. https://t.co/anvtsRGR8F

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 20, 2018

The Rest of the Pack

Do any other teams make their way into the mix?

Further down the board you’ve got the New Orleans Pelicans. I almost fainted thinking about pairing Irving and Anthony Davis. There might not be a better combo: Davis is the all-everything guy, and riding shotgun is Irving, arguably the most lethal clutch scorer the NBA has right now.

Davis is the all-everything guy, only, when things get dicey in the crunch, riding shotgun is Irving, arguably the most lethal clutch scorer the NBA has right now to carry them home.

Don’t sleep on the Toronto Raptors, either. No one thought Masai Ujiri would swing for the fences like he did with Kawhi Leonard. If he decides to stay up North, is there another star more compatible than Kyrie Irving, who will take away the spotlight, allowing Leonard to just be a silent basketball monster?

The pick

Kyrie Irving signing with any of these teams makes them significantly better. That’s the effect of a top-10 player.

But as it is right now, I can’t see Kyrie leaving the cozy confines of TD Garden. So that would be my bet, though I would hedge it with the Knicks. If he were to leave, reviving one of the glory franchises in NBA history would be the way to go. While not as talented as Boston, if you had Irving, Porzingis and Butler, that’s a pretty good path back to respectability.