While the basketball world awaits word from Kyrie Irving on his future plans, he turned up at his alma mater The Patrick School in Hillside (N.J.) for a pickup game on Thursday afternoon.
Irving, who had been in Asia on a promotional tour before returning home for a few days, posed for a picture with Celtics coach and principal Chris Chavannes and St. Pat’s alums Alex Jones and Bryce Aiken. Irving has been a longtime supporter of his alma mater, which this year won the New Jersey Tournament of Champions, and his picture is posted above the entrance to the gym. He has supported the school, the basketball program and individual students, including paying the tuition of seventh-grader Spencer Joyner, who is battling a rare illness. Irving made huge NBA news when he recently asked the Cleveland Cavaliers for a trade, reportedly naming San Antonio, Miami, Minnesota and his hometown Knicks as his preferred landing spots. Bovada installed the Cavs at 1/1 odds to retain Irving and the Knicks at 3/1. Irving has no leverage in where he goes, as he is signed for two more years. ESPN’s Bobby Marks called his list of four “unrealistic.” In terms of the Knicks, they have expressed no desire to trade Kristaps Porzingis, while Carmelo Anthony has a no-trade clause and is said to prefer the Houston Rockets as his No. 1 destination. Meantime, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said Wednesday he expects Irving to be in training camp this year. “Right now Kyrie Irving is on a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for two or three years, depending on the last year,” Gilbert said. “So as of now, he’s one of our best players; sure, we expect him to be in camp.”Kyrie Irving, just back from a promotional tour in Asia, played pickup at his former high school in NJ on Thursday.
(via njhooprecruit /IG) pic.twitter.com/ZZdHekbWDO — Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) July 28, 2017
“Sure… We expect him to be in camp.” ? pic.twitter.com/PlIQI6ozOW
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) July 26, 2017
