Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge had a hunch that the first Celtics news he would hear in free agency wouldn’t be a good one.

According to multiple reports, Ainge already knew as early as March that Kyrie Irving could leave the team, which eventually happened last month, when the All-Star guard decided to join the Brooklyn Nets.

The Celtics had a disappointing 2018-19 season as they were severely inconsistent on both ends of the floor. There were stretches when they played like a legitimate championship contender, then it would be followed by a series of games in which they struggled to win against some of the worst teams in the league.

Irving’s frustrations started to grow in the middle of the season. After a loss to the Orlando Magic back in January, Kyrie called out some of his teammates, especially the younger guys, saying that they had no clue on how to play championship-level basketball.

Despite these remarks, Boston was able to secure the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference and they cruised to the first round of the playoffs by sweeping the Indiana Pacers. Then, it looked like they were starting to turn things around when they stunned the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the conference semifinals. Unfortunately, that was the last victory they’d get as the league-leading Bucks would win the next four games, ending the Celtics’ hopes of winning a championship in a dominating fashion.

Then, speculations about Irving not wanting to re-sign with the Celtics made a ton of noise, as there were reports that he could be taking his talents to either the city of Los Angeles or Celtics news New York. The Celtics obviously wanted to keep him, but after what happened last season, they knew that they had little to no chance of retaining him.

Still, the Celtics were able to recover just fine after Irving’s departure. They were able to nab another All-Star in Kemba Walker and they also added Enes Kanter, who was an integral part in the Portland Trail Blazers’ run to the Western Conference Finals last season.

Moreover, Boston was able to keep most of their young core intact. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart will be playing major roles for the team next season, as they hope to compete for a championship.

Irving had a promising start in Boston. There was even a point when he said that he’d love to stay with the Celtics if they want him. A lot of things have happened since then, and what initially looked like a fairy tale beginning between both sides has now turned into a horrible chapter that everyone involved just wants to move on from.

Now, everyone on the team just wants to make sure that the next Celtics news that will break the internet will be about the franchise winning its 19th NBA title.