9 Potential Boston Celtics free agent targets with ties to Jayson Tatum

3. Kyrie Irving

There is no way Kyrie is coming back to Boston this summer. Celtics fans will never forget his two turbulent years with the franchise and the actions that followed it.

He helped Boston reach the conference finals in Tatum’s rookie season before suffering a knee injury that forced him to the postseason in 2019. Then, Irving left for Brooklyn in free agency. With the Nets, he stomped on the Celtics logo and got into it with Boston fans plenty.

There may be hard feelings with fans, but Tatum has had high praise for Irving and their time together. The current Celtics superstar had this to say in 2022.

"“He helped me out a lot those first two years,” he said. “Just kind of watching a superstar. I got to see him every day, see how he worked, worked on his body, and prepared for games and things like that.”"

Irving is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and there are plenty of questions about his future. He was traded to Dallas in February, but the Mavericks collapsed down the stretch to miss the playoffs. Will Kyrie find a new home this summer or does he return to co-star next to Luka Doncic?

Kyrie Irving is likely at the bottom of the Boston Celtics’ list of stars to acquire after their first run together. The six-foot-two guard is free to sign with any team this summer, but do not expect him to return to Boston anytime soon.