Boston Celtics: 5 takeaways from the 2018-19 NBA season

1. Re-sign Kyrie Irving at all costs

There are few players who can ball like Kyrie Irving can throughout the game of basketball. He has legitimate claim to the best handles of all time, a high rate scorer who has made strides as a playmaker, defender and — though at times tumultuous — a leader.

Kyrie is just entering his athletic prime at age 27 and his game is sharper than ever. The Boston Celtics need to hold onto him if they realistically want to remain a championship contender. Sure, Jayson Tatum looks like he’s a future stud and Jaylen Brown has All-Star potential, but Irving is an absolute franchise-changer.

He’s the ideal point guard in the modern league: an elite outside sniper who can spot up or shoot off the bounce, an excellent passer who can make plays from all over the floor and has mesmerizing handles that put defenders to sleep.

Realistically, the Celtics have at least five elite years from Irving if they can lock him up this offseason. With a game that does not revolve around his explosion and athleticism, but rather his skill and finesse, Irving can age like a fine wine in the NBA.

When a team gets its hands on a player of Irving’s caliber, it has to do everything in their power to make sure that player stays put. Almost every team that has lost a superstar relatively comparable to Irving has struggled mightily in the aftermath: Chicago Bulls (and Minnesota Timberwolves) post-Jimmy Butler, Los Angeles Clippers missed the playoffs after losing Chris Paul and even the defending conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers became a far less imposing team after losing Irving himself, let alone LeBron James.

Almost all moves in recent NBA history suggest that the Celtics need to hold onto Kyrie Irving at all costs this summer. They won’t be back at square one if he leaves, exactly, but their championship hopes will be reset and fans will miss out the absolute brilliance that is Kyrie Irving’s brand of basketball.