Kyrie Irving has been talking a lot lately. (Like, a lot.)
But for those who want the Boston Celtics guard to pipe down and stop stirring the pot, Danny Ainge offers a reminder.
In an interview Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher & Rich," the Celtics president of basketball operations defended Irving's recent sit-down interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols that may have ruffled feathers, noting Irving and his teammates are contractually obligated to do media appearances with the network.
"ESPN is our partner. I know that he doesn't do all the things they (ESPN) even ask him to do," Ainge said. "He has to do a lot of media stuff almost daily. So, I don't know if Rachel Nichols was voluntary.
"... If he doesn't do a certain amount of (interviews), then he gets in trouble. So, I wouldn't say they're interviews he's just looking for."
That's important context: It's not like Irving is calling Nichols to request a TV interview or asking reporters to gather around him to discuss his relationship with Kevin Durant.
That said, Irving can control what he says, and he had a specific agenda Wednesday night in bashing the media for over-analyzing the now-famous "hallway video" featuring him and Durant.
Boston Celtics
Ainge admitted Irving perhaps could have handled his response better but still sympathized with his star guard.
"I do think it's silly that a video becomes a story," Ainge said. "I guess you would expect that a question like that would come up if there's a video out there of them talking.
"But I also understand the perspective of the athlete who is just tired of all the drama and can't do anything without people bugging him about it."
The "drama" that's followed Irving this season is partly of his own making based on what he's told the media (and fans) this season. That Kyrie doesn't necessarily control when he talks to the media is a fact worth considering, however.
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