It's official - Kyrie Irving will become an unrestricted free agent at 6pm ET on June 30.
According to Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics' All Star point guard will not be opting into his $21.3 million deal for next season, allowing him to sign a max contract with a team of choosing. This is not an unexpected move by any means, but it is a necessary step ahead of the rapidly approaching free agency period.
On a recent episode of ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. Smith described, "I have learned that Kyrie Irving has given every indication to the Brooklyn Nets that that is where he wants to go." While it remains to be seen which team Irving chooses as a free agent, it has become quite clear that he has played his last game as a member of the Boston Celtics.
SNY's Ian Begley writes, "in recent days, people around Irving have described the probability of him returning to Boston as a free agent as low. Those around Irving also said recently that he hasn't ruled out teams—including the New York Knicks—as possible destinations for him this summer, per SNY sources."
Irving, 27, averaged 23.8 points per game last season to go along with 6.9 assists and five rebounds.