NBA Note - Boston Celtics Irving, Kyrie

Sep 2, 2017 - 8:03 AM G Kyrie Irving admitted he has not spoken with LeBron James since being traded to the Boston Celtics but he praised his former superstar teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 25-year-old Irving called playing three seasons with James as "awesome" and told reporters at his introductory press conference in Boston that "I learned so much from that guy." The Celtics formally introduced Irving on Friday at TD Garden after the blockbuster trade sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round pick and the Miami Heat's 2020 second-round pick in exchange for the four-time All-Star point guard. Irving, who had requested a trade in July, was asked about his decision to leave Cleveland and the status of his relationship with James. "I haven't spoken to (James) and my intent (in asking for a trade), like I said, was for my best intentions," Irving said. "To look back at the amount of ground we covered in the last three-year span ... to really realize how special that was and how much stuff happened in that amount of time, I'd be sitting up here and telling you guys a lie if I didn't tell you I learned so much from that guy."