Kyrie Irving indicates he has no reason to leave Celtics in free agency

Kyrie Irving’s future has been the subject of great speculation among NBA fans and media, but if you ask him, he might not even have a reason to leave the Boston Celtics after his contract ends.

Irving is signed for $20 million this season and has a player option for 2019-20, which he is unlikely to exercise. There has been speculation that he could go to the New York Knicks or another team, but after hearing what he said this week, Boston might be the favorite to retain him.

You know all the talk about Kyrie Irving as one of the elite free agents available next summer? Not so fast. Here's what he told me: "Even if I ever try to think about that thought of going elsewhere, it would be like 'what are you thinking? We're pretty f-ing good here." pic.twitter.com/QEM4XMDvWM

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) September 26, 2018

“Who wouldn’t want to be a part of it, honestly? Because the future is very, very bright in Boston. Even if I ever try to think about the thought of going elsewhere, it’s like, ‘what are you thinking?’ We’re pretty effing good here. We’re pretty effing good for not just this year, but for years to come,” Irving told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols during an interview along with teammate Gordon Hayward.

Irving was limited to 60 games last season due to knee issues, while Hayward was injured in the first game of the season. Despite that, the Celtics still finished with the second-best record in the East and took the Cavs to seven games in the conference finals. Now that LeBron is out of the conference, they look like the class of the East for many years to come. If Irving prioritizes winning, there might not be a better home than Boston. But as we know from his desire to leave Cleveland, sharing the spotlight could become an issue for him.