Uncle Drew and Jimmy Buckets seems like the match made in heaven, but it sounds like the involved parties themselves have yet to progress on that front.
In an interview with ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan that ran on Friday, Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving acknowledged that he was aware of rumors linking him with fellow All-Star Jimmy Butler in free agency, most popularly of them playing together on the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets. Irving added however that he has had no such discussions with Butler about teaming up.
Per MacMullan:
Irving said he’s aware that he’s been linked to Jimmy Butler in persistent free-agent rumors regarding a mutual desire to play together in New York, but he said he’s had no such discussions with Butler. In fact, he said, the last time he talked to Butler at length was when they were both playing with USA Basketball, and the two engaged in a spitballing session along with Durant and Cousins about what the future held for each of them.
“And that,” Irving laughed, “was in 2016.”
Irving, 26, and Butler, 29, can both become unrestricted free agents in 2019. Rumors of a potential team-up have surrounded the two for over a year now.
Of course, Irving can always choose to stay put on the Celtics, a situation that may even have some dynasty potential over the next several years. And while the Knicks and Nets are both on Butler’s list of preferred destinations now that he wants out of Minnesota, we have heard rumblings recently that he could be pairing with another star instead.
