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Kyrie Irving Free Agency Odds: Nets & Knicks Given 3-2 Odds, Celtics Listed at 2-1

David Golokhov

by David Golokhov in NBA Basketball

Updated Apr 13, 2020 · 9:25 AM PDT

Kyrie Irving
Will Kyrie Irving be on the move again this offseason? (Photo by Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire)
  • The Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks have the best odds of signing Kyrie Irving this summer
  • Irving’s second season in Boston has been full of twists and turns
  • Will the hot-tempered point guard leave the Celtics for greener pastures?

The Boston Celtics-Kyrie Irving marriage looks like it’s coming to an end. After an ugly performance in the second-round of the playoffs with some shoddy play from Irving, it looks like he and the Celtics are not long for each other.

The question is where will he go? Let’s take a closer look at the options.

Kyrie Irving 2019 Free Agency Odds

Team Odds
Brooklyn Nets +150
New York Knicks +150
Boston Celtics +200
Los Angeles Lakers +500
Los Angeles Clippers +900
Dallas Mavericks +1200
Field +300

*Odds taken 05/08/19

Celtics, Irving Look Like They’re Headed for Divorce

The Boston Celtics’ 2018-19 season has clearly not gone as planned. In the preseason Irving emphatically stated that he wanted to be in Boston for the foreseeable future. At that point, a contract extension was expected.

Irving’s antics after Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals really rubbed some players the wrong way.

However, the Celtics’ season never played out as expected. The surefire favorite to win the Eastern Conference just never delivered and along the way, there was a lot of chemistry issues between Irving and the team.

He has called out teammates a few times, he called LeBron James to apologize, and his antics after Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals really rubbed some players the wrong way.

YouTube video

To start, Irving left the floor early – before the game was done – and then in the post-game conference he said he “should have shot 30” times instead of the 22 shots he took (he only made 7-of-22). That came after he said “who cares” to the fact that he’s shot 19-of-62 in Games 2, 3 and 4.

Nets a Possibility

It seems like the Brooklyn Nets could be a possibility for Irving. The fit isn’t great as they have an All-Star point guard in D’Angelo Russell, but we know both can play the point or shooting guard positions.

Also, Irving seems to want the spotlight at times (read: when he’s playing well) but wants to run from it other times (read: when he’s not playing well). He’ll be scrutinized to death with the Knicks but his life will be far more peaceful in Brooklyn. It’s something for him to consider.

Knicks Are Confident

At the end of the day, it just feels like Irving is ready to leave the Celtics for the Knicks. The Knicks will offer him a blank canvas and they can build their roster around him (although promising point guard Dennis Smith Jr. plays the same position). He wanted to be the star of a franchise and he’ll get that chance in New York.

It’s still a very tenuous position for the Knicks as they aren’t sure who else they’ll get or if they’ll have the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but it seems like the first domino to fall will be Irving. He wants out of Boston and he’s going to New York where they can build around him. That would be my bet.

Pick: New York Knicks (+150)

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