Oh Look, More Kyrie To NY Rumors! *Yawn*

(Business Insider) – A year out from what could be an enormous 2019 free agency in the NBA, there are rumors about the next potential super-team.

Two league sources told Business Insider that there is a buzz about the Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jimmy Butler teaming up next summer, with one source saying the chatter is “substantial.”

Both sources also said the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets could be well-positioned to land the two players if they are indeed keen on teaming up.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if either New York team or potentially both New York teams hit it big next summer,” one source said.

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reported in July that Irving and Butler had talks about how to team up. Cowley reported that in the summer of 2017, Butler, then with the Chicago Bulls, told the Bulls front office to try to trade for Irving before Irving officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bulls ended up trading Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe also called the “chatter” about Irving and Butler teaming up “credible” in July.

Yup, you guessed it, we’re just about at that time where nothing really is going on in the NBA world so naturally a story comes out that provides no new information whatsoever, and is pure click bait in my opinion. And sure, I fell for it and clicked just to see if maybe there was some new nugget of information that should truly make me nervous, but nope it’s the same old stuff we already knew. But now two “sources” who are just regurgitating the same rumor we first heard months ago. That Jimmy Butler and Kyrie want to play together and could be heading to one of the NY teams! They have cap space! Watch out!

Please.

I understand the click bait game, I live in that world, but you’re going to have to give me a little more than what was in this article in order for me to take this seriously. That story went on about how the Knicks are also planning to pitch Kevin Durant next summer too, I’m sure that will work out in the favor as well! And sure, as it stands now the Nets will have room for two max slots, but the Knicks not so much. They’re going to have to get rid of some guys and hold off on that Porzingis extension in order to even entertain the idea of bringing in multiple stars. In my opinion this the a classic case of the agents saying stuff to create their own narrative. We’re to believe that let’s say the Celtics have a great season with everyone back, I won’t say wins the title because we can be realistic for a second but they make the Finals and compete. Kyrie leaves that situation, a situation where he is at the top of the conference and can make the most money, to go join Butler and Porzingis in NY. To be what, the 3 or 4 seed? You take Kyrie off the Celtics but keep everyone else, they’re still most likely a top 2 team and closer to a title than NY would be. So I don’t care what these “sources” say, anyone with a logical brain sees how silly that would be.

Now Butler, he could for sure end up in NY, or you know, he could go to LA where he’s lives during the offseason. Especially if Kawhi ends up on the Clippers. When I think of potential destinations in NY, I can’t see star players going to Brooklyn no matter how much money they have to spend. They aren’t close, and would not be close even if one or both of those guys went there. With Butler already 28, he probably only has one more run at his elite level status so he’s not going to go somewhere that has no chance, he already plays in MIN.

So I get what’s happening here. Business Insider needed some traffic on a slow summer day so they went with a story that they knew would get traction but provided absolutely zero new information. Maybe if there was a note about how Kyrie met with some team official, or the usual realtor came out and said they were showing him some townhouse over the weekend I would be slightly concerned. But to repeat what we already knew, that was all speculation to begin with, is not moving the needle that much for me. You see, since the second the Celtics traded for Kyrie I had already been worrying about his potential exit after this upcoming season, so I’m going to need something a little more concrete to get me to freak out. Sadly, this was not one of those stories.

P.S.

But look, I don’t mind Knicks fans. I am proud to call Clem and Reags internet buddies. And because I care about them as people, I’ll leave them and any Knicks fan reading this blog with this picture, you never know!