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In separate interviews on "Get Up" and "First Take," Rozier spoke of the challenges posed by playing alongside Irving, whose presence, he said, has sometimes rocked the chemistry and the game plans.
"We were going into the game and it would be a different game plan from the one we were expecting and followed in practice, so it was different," Rozier said. "We had the first five, then the other five.
"And when we go there, I feel that a lot of guys would be mixed up. It would not be the first five and the second five. So what we would talk about in practice is not what we experienced in the game.
"It was like," All right, we'll keep Kyrie and bring the other guys with him, and we'll be fine. "
Rozier said that Irving and Hayward had been treated by coaching staff in a way that made adjustment difficult "because they are what they are".
"The ball was in the hands of Kyrie or Gordon Hayward most of the time," said Rozier. "So, I have the impression that Terry Rozier is right around the corner or on the bench."
After being injured by Irving, Rozier played a key role in the playoffs in 2018, averaging 16.5 points, 5.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. He knew that he would give up the starting post as soon as Irving returned, but he still thought he'd play a bigger role.
But Rozier only played 22.7 minutes per game and never regained his playoff pace, averaging 9 points and 3.9 assists, while only clocking 38.7 % of his throws.
He is now a restricted free agent, which means that the Celtics will have the right to match any Rozier signed offer to another team. If Irving signed again, Rozier could become expendable. But if Irving left, the fact that Boston exceeds the salary cap could limit his options and make the return of Rozier very likely.
When asked after the defeat of the Bucks on the possibility that Boston matches the offer of another team, Rozier replied, "No comment."
On Tuesday, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN insisted a little more to ask him if he would be comfortable to return to Boston if the alignment remained the same.
"No, maybe I should go," Rozier said. "Maybe I should go there. I have endured a lot this year, so I said what I said after the season and I think we all know I'm not trying to come back. "
Rozier said that he enjoyed spending time with the Celtics, but feels that he now deserves a chance to do more, whether in Boston or elsewhere.
"I feel like I can be myself and play my game wherever I go," he said.
Adam Himmelsbach can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.
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