Former Duke Star Kyrie Irving’s Future Will Be In Boston

Larry Bird told a story, with we think some resentment, of a conversation Danny Ainge had with Boston Celtics legendary GM and president Red Auerbach near the end of Bird’s career in which Ainge urged Auerbach to trade Larry Legend.

Auerbach didn’t hesitate to trade people but he was also keenly loyal to great players and wouldn’t have traded Bird anymore than he would have traded Bill Russell or John Havlicek. So Bird retired a Celtic even as the team declined along with him (on the other hand, as always, Auerbach had a plan and expected the late Len Bias to succeed Bird and carry the team for a decade or more, plans that died in 1986 with Bias and a large draft night pile of cocaine).

Ainge…