Celtics' Kyrie Irving talks relationship with LeBron, leaving Cavs
Declining to name names and refusing to cite specific issues for his desire to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, new Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving maintained he wants to play for a franchise that maximizes his potential.
“I can’t wait to get on the floor to maximize my potential,” Irving said at his introductory news conference in Boston on Friday. “I just want to be around those incredible coaches, those incredible minds, those incredible individuals and I felt like in doing that Boston came at the right exact time and it was meant to be that way. I trust in that, and I’m glad to be here.”
Irving called his decision to depart Cleveland challenging, but he didn’t plan on spending this press conference lamenting his reasons for leaving Cleveland.
“I just knew that I wasn’t going to come up here to specifically point at individuals, specifically point at issues because that’s not important to me at all,” Irving said.
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If you were looking for Irving to knock LeBron James or the Cavs organization, that didn’t happen.
“It was my time to do what was best for me in terms of my intentions and that’s going after something bigger than myself and being in an environment that was conducive to my potential,” he said. “That statement is self-explanatory because it’s pretty direct in terms of what my intent is, and that’s to be happy and with a group of individuals that I can grow with.
“That is not a knock on anything that has transpired in my six years (with Cleveland) because it was an unbelievable experience. … Me leaving there wasn’t about basketball. It was more or less about creating that foundation with me in Cleveland and now taking that next steps as a 25-year-old evolving man and being the best basketball player I can be.”
The news conference was typical Irving. He delivered long, meandering answers – sometimes charming, sometimes insightful, sometimes odd – meant to reveal who he is as a person: someone who cares about more than basketball, of being part of something that is bigger than the individual and growing as a basketball player and person.
From Irving’s answers, it’s obvious he wanted to branch out on his own, away from the shadow of James. But he made clear his appreciation of James at the end of the news conference.
Irving admitted he hasn’t talked to James since the trade machinations began but gave a thoughtful and honest answer about his time with James.
“I’d be telling you guys a lie if I didn't tell you I learned so much from that guy,” Irving said. “The perfection of the craft comes in a variety of forms, and you watch and you ask a lot of the great players, ‘What does it take to be great?’ And I’ve had the unique opportunity to play with one of the greats, and it was awesome.
“At times it was all over, just like it is in any other team, and when you look back and you're eternally grateful for the moments that you had and you shared, you’re able to put peace with that journey and start anew.”
If you were looking for Irving to take potshots at his former teammates and coaches, you had to read between the lines.
When asked about the pressure of leading the Celtics, Irving responded:“Is there ever such a thing as one player carrying a team? I don’t think so.”
Irving talked about the team component of basketball, particularly as it pertains to playing for coach Brad Stevens.
“You’ve got a smart individual you can learn the game from and be taught at the same time while growing," Irving said. "Who doesn’t want to be a part of that? That’s something awesome. I can share knowledge as well as gain knowledge at the same time from not only the player but the coaching staff and that starts with our head coach.”
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PHOTOS: Kyrie Irving through the years