Unfortunately for the Boston Celtics, Kyrie Irving chooses now to be a leader

During his two year stint with the Boston Celtics, fans and personnel alike waited patiently for Kyrie Irving to show the leadership skills necessary for them to reach their full potential… it never came. Now in Brooklyn, however, it appears the point guard may have finally found them.

Too little, too late Boston Celtics fans. It appears that point guard Kyrie Irving has finally decided to want to be a leader. Unfortunately, it will be in the signature black & whites of the Brooklyn Nets… and not in Beantown.

During his media day presser, Irving was talking like someone who is ready to take the fall for his teammates. This is in sharp contrast to his attitude last year, when he was freely and remorselessly throwing his teammates under the bus. When discussing Durant’s current state in his rehabilitation process, Irving was adamant about how he does not want him to come back any sooner than his body is ready to.

"“We all know K was not ready to play in that environment [2019 NBA Finals]. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not. He was out 31 days and we put him on a national stage in the Finals to end up selling a product that came before the person Kevin. And, now, I’m here to protect that. I’m going to be a protector of that all throughout the year.”"

Irving never went to bat for his Boston Celtics teammates. While he did have a pretty good rapport with Marcus Smart, his domineering ways hindered the development of Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and (in particular) Jaylen Brown.

It’s water under the bridge at this point. As Irving continues to mature, the spotlight on his past mistakes will continue to be highlighted. Just like how things going south on the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James is mostly a thing of the past, so too will his controversial Boston Celtics stint.

At the end of it all, though, is something important to note: Irving wants to be in Brooklyn. You can’t fault a player for wanting to do what is best for his career and his life. Celtics fans can absolutely shred Irving for letting his own demons get in the way of what should have been a very promising year for Boston.

Hopefully Irving finds the peace he couldn’t quite obtain in Beantown. In the meantime, Kemba Walker will look to fill his shoes playing for a Boston Celtics team that made it clear he was a priority…and that is a priority to him.