If Kyrie Irving decides to remain with the Boston Celtics next season, it will be by way of a new contract.
As expected, Irving is not opting into the final year of his current deal, which would pay him $21.3 million next year. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that he informed the Celtics of the decision on Wednesday.
Celtics' Kyrie Irving is not opting into his $21.3 million deal for next season and will become a free agent eligible to sign a new contract with Boston or elsewhere, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 12, 2019
Boston has expected this ahead of Irving’s option date on Thursday. For Irving, it is an opt-in so no paperwork necessary to enter free agency. https://t.co/8ecykuIyi7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 12, 2019
This is largely a technicality for Irving, as he would have chosen not to opt into the final year of the contract whether he plans to leave Boston or not.
Irving verbally committed to re-sign with Boston prior to the 2018-19 season, but a lot changed over the course of the year. The Celtics fell well short of expectations, and teammates spoke out about how Irving is difficult to play with. The star point guard is now said to have his sights set on playing for a different Eastern Conference team, though we know how quickly things can pivot during the NBA offseason.
