Kyrie Irving Favored To Join Knicks, Nets Given Better Shot Than Celtics, Lakers To Sign NBA Star

Even though the Boston Celtics can offer Kyrie Irving the most money this summer, the odds are against them keeping their best player. After the team was eliminated Wednesday night by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2019 NBA playoffs, the Celtics are not the betting favorites to sign the guard in the offseason.

The New York Knicks actually have the best odds to acquire Irving. They are favored just ahead of the Brooklyn Nets, putting the Boston Celtics third. The Los Angeles Lakers have the fourth-best odds.

Irving could potentially head elsewhere, but those four teams are generally thought to be the ones that have a real shot at landing the All-Star.

At the start of the season, Boston was the overwhelming favorite to sign Irving. That changed as the Celtics failed to meet expectations throughout the year. After sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, the conference semifinals couldn't have gone any more poorly with Irving looking nothing like a franchise player.

It isn't just that Irving might have is sights on going to another team. There are questions regarding how much Boston actually wants to give the point guard a five-year, max contract, considering his injury history and how much of a disaster this season turned out to be.

Rumors of a union between the Knicks and Irving really started to heat up before the trade deadline when New York sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, giving them the chance to sign two max free agents in July. The Knicks are thought to be eyeing Irving and Kevin Durant, who are close friends.

Irving could ultimately decide to sign with the Nets if he chooses to play for one of his hometown teams. Brooklyn point guard D'Angelo Russell will be a restricted free agent, potentially complicating a deal between Irving in the Nets.

There's at least a chance Irving could reunite with LeBron James in Los Angeles. The former teammates appeared to repair their relationship during the season, and the Lakers have enough money to sign one max free agent.

The Lakers will go after the likes of Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson, but they are unlikely to acquire one of them.