Celtics GM Danny Ainge recently spoke to CSN about the blockbuster trade involving Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas and now, he's further burying the nail with his latest statement about Irving and his time with the Cavaliers. According to CBS Sports, Ainge believes Kyrie is the better passer, and while LeBon James is obviously the point guard of the team, Kyrie is only performing when James is not around.
"I think that he's a fantastic passer and I think that defensively he's got to improve and I think he will in Brad's system," Ainge added. Speaking to the Celtics social media team, the GM did not hesitate to admit that Kyrie is special further noting his plans that led to the blockbuster trade.
According to Yahoo! Sports, Irving can easily rack up 15 assists per game during his time in Cleveland but note how LeBron James overshadows him, his potential are largely kept at bay.
Danny Ainge calls Kyrie Irving “special” and explains his vision of the blockbuster trade that acquired the All-Star point guard. pic.twitter.com/xlwsKvBgNl
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 5, 2017
A shot at the Cleveland Cavaliers
Ainge may have sent a subtle message to the Cavs when he said: "You’ll see that he’s a better passer. I think people that watch Kyrie play a lot can see his passing and his potential there as a passer. LeBron was pretty much the point guard in Cleveland and Kyrie was a point guard often when LeBron wasn’t on the court." Apparently, he thinks that there was no equal opportunity for the two stars but is confident Irving will thrive under the Celtics system.
Celtics-Cleveland post trade
Dany Ainge became the center of attention when he agreed to trade Isaiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving. He also admitted that part of the reason why he considered trading Thomas is the hip injury he suffered that seem to have recurred during the post season. Kyrie Irving, during his introduction to the Celtics over the weekend, said his decision was purely motivational and he thanked the Cleveland Cavaliers for his time with the franchise.
As he starts his time with the Celtics, Kyrie Irving is building up, something that the Celtics is ready to give him. Ainge is fully aware of the sacrifices Kyrie went through to earn a spot on the Celtics team. More than the money, he's obviously testing his capacity to lead a team and "motivational" as they call it, there so much to work on when the team starts its training camp and practice shoots.
Former Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers in an interview with Boston Herald said Danny Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens were never afraid to make the changes and the blockbuster trade just proved things during the offseason.
