Boston Celtics: Kyrie Irving says he’s excited to be part of the future

 Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving discussed his future with the team at Media Day. Irving talked about his excitement for the season and why he loves to be a part of the Celtics organization.

With Kyrie Irving set to become an unrestricted free agent next season, many fans and media members are wondering about the Boston Celtics point guard’s future, but Irving stressed that he is focused on the present.

“I’m finally here in Boston for a year,” Irving said on Monday at Celtics Media Day in Canton, Mass. I’m not going through an emotional roller coaster. I don’t necessarily have to deal with the questions about the trade anymore. Now it’s like the next question: ‘What’s free agency like?’ You get traded and now it’s free agency. It’s just like, ‘Whoa.’

“So I’m just appreciative of the opportunity to finally be comfortable. That’s the biggest thing. I’m happy. It’s peaceful…. it’s about the team, how successful we can be and the potential of it. I’m excited about that. So I’m just kind of comfortable and happy to be here now, and present.”

And what’s not to be excited about?

The Boston Celtics return two All-Stars to a team that reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season. After fielding the youngest team in the league (adjusted for minutes played) last season, the Boston Celtics will be year older and wiser with a playoff’s worth of crunch time experience to build off as the new season begins.

Last season, at this time, the Celtics were probably just meeting each other, getting acclimated to Brad Stevens’ system and how things are done in Boston. Now, Stevens doesn’t need to teach ‘Boston Basketball 101’ during training camp; with 13 returning players from last season’s team, the Celtics can dive into developing the details that lead to championship-level play.

With the Golden Gods…I mean, Golden State looking for a three-peat this season after adding DeMarcus Cousins to the roster, many pundits don’t give the Boston Celtics a puncher’s chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. Finals MVP Kyrie Irving, however, knows what it takes to take down the Warriors and he’s already gone on record saying he believes they can beat them in a 7-game series.

“All 30 teams are looking to go 82-0,” Irving said, referring to the eternal optimism of NBA training camp. Until we get to the start of the season, I think we have the talent to compete with them, but obviously I said we can beat them in a seven-game series because I do feel like that.

We won’t know until we put in the work, we sacrifice the amount of time and we push ourselves to being a quality team before we can even echo their championship team.”

Of course, expectations are always highest during training camp and preseason, but Irving doesn’t sound like a guy who is looking for a way out of Boston. He sounds like a guy giddy for the chance to inch closer to competing again in an NBA game, after missing the Celtics deep playoff run last season.

Those who suggest Irving might leave in free agency at the end of this season seem to be ignoring the fact that Irving has been to the NBA Finals three times in the past four seasons, even climbing to the top of the mountain with the 2016 NBA championship, and he’s past the stage in his career in Cleveland where he’s content to be a star on a bad team.

Where else would Irving have the opportunity to compete for a championship, in a conference where he won’t have to face any of the four best players in the world–Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James–until a possible NBA Finals showdown?

The Knicks are reportedly making Irving their top priority in free agency. You really think Irving, Kristaps Porzingis, and ‘Mythical Free Agent X’ have any chance of beating any of the Western Conference powerhouses? Or even the Boston Celtics, for that matter?

There are rumblings that Jimmy Butler and Irving have discussed teaming up in the past, but where could they join forces for a title contender? I don’t see it–and apparently, neither does Irving.

“We take time and I’m willing to be patient,” Irving said. I’m willing to put in the work and help all our guys and I know Brad’s excited, our coaching staff, I know Danny and management’s excited. Just think about now and you think about the future and it’s like, man, this is something special to be a part of.”

Irving is already in an ideal position–top dog, in a leadership role, on the league’s most historic franchise, with a starting 5 that could all potentially make the All-Star team. The Athletic’s Jay King recently wrote a great feature (subscription required) on Irving’s future, and how much he enjoys mentoring his younger teammates and being a player that others look up to.

Irving reiterated those sentiments on Monday at Media Day.

Does anybody really think he’d give all that up, to go join a complete unknown? No, Irving isn’t going anywhere.

Irving knows this team has a chance to compete for a championship this year, and that’s what he’s focused on, but he’s also smart enough to see how bright the future is in Boston.

If the Celtics can’t win a championship this season, there’s no better place to try again next season than right here in Boston. Irving knows that, he’s excited about it, and he’s comfortable with his future, regardless of the speculation.