The left knee injury currently hampering Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving may continue to be an issue for the remainder of the his days in the NBA.
Appearing Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich,” Celtics GM Danny Ainge said that he thinks Irving will have to manage the knee for the rest of his career. Ainge did add though that he does not see the five-time All-Star’s injury as serious, per Adam Kaufman, also of The Sports Hub.
Danny Ainge on @985TheSportsHub on Kyrie Irving's injured knee: "I think he's something he'll have to manage the rest of his career. I don't think it's anything serious, but we want Kyrie healthy and fresh and he carries a heavy burden with the offensive load he carries" #Celtics
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) March 8, 2018
Irving has played in 58 of 65 games for the Celtics this season but missed Monday’s win over the Chicago Bulls with what was officially listed as “left knee soreness.” It is also the same knee where he suffered a broken kneecap in the 2015 NBA Finals as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, causing him to miss the first two months or so of the 2015-16 season.
This definitely seems to be a concerning revelation about Irving, who is still only 25. But many big-name NBA players (Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, etc.) have had long, productive careers despite chronic knee troubles. Then again, Irving has spoken before about the possibility that he may retire early, and that left knee could ultimately be a big factor in that eventual decision.
