Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving Has These Regrets About Celtics Tenure

Kyrie Irving’s run with the Celtics was mostly frustrating for all parties involved, and the star guard knows he deserves some of the blame.

Irving wanted out of Cleveland in the summer of 2017 and had his wish fulfilled when he was traded by the Cavaliers. But the 2011 No. 1 overall pick didn’t end up in one of his most preferred destinations, which prevented Irving from buying into Boston from the get-go.

“When I look back on it, getting traded here, this wasn’t one of my options,” Irving told reporters Sunday, per Sports Illustrated. “It wasn’t like No. 1 on my list. So when the trade opportunity got approached to me, instead of going back and appreciating the Celtics history, I just came in with an open mind. Just kind of like, I’m just going to go with the flow into this, but I think that was the wrong approach. Just being young. Now that I’m a little older, hindsight looking back on it, I definitely would have taken the time to get to know people within the community, talk to some of the champions that have come before me. Actually extend myself to them instead of the other way around.”

Of course, Boston isn’t your average NBA city. The Celtics take great pride in their rich history and they receive a borderline overwhelming amount of attention from fans and the media alike. As such, Irving believes players should do their “homework” on the C’s before setting in on the idea of playing on Causeway Street.

Irving will be back at his old stomping grounds Monday night when the Dallas Mavericks meet Boston for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The eight-time All-Star could be forced to watch ex-teammates and former fans celebrate, as the Celtics are one win away from a championship.