Celtics GM Danny Ainge 'Not Concerned at All' with Kyrie Irving's Knee Injury

Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said Thursday that he isn't worried about guard Kyrie Irving's knee being a long-term issue.

Appearing on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich (h/t Jay King of MassLive.com), Ainge expressed some optimism regarding Irving moving forward:

"I'm not concerned at all. I'm just saying, like, his knee is very structurally sound. It's not, like, a long-term thing. There could still be some challenges. We tried to do a minimal amount of surgery at this moment and it might require some more. But we don't know any of that. I'm just guessing. I don't know. I'll probably have a much better update on how he's doing when I return. I'm with the team right now and I'll see him [Friday]."

Last week, Irving underwent a "minimally invasive procedure" to remove a tension wire from his left knee, and he is expected to miss between three and six weeks.

Irving has a history of knee injuries, as he suffered a fractured left kneecap during the 2015 NBA Finals, which saw the Cleveland Cavaliers fall to the Golden State Warriors.

The Celtics have won five consecutive games despite playing without Irving, but there is some concern about their ability to go deep into the playoffs should he be forced to miss multiple rounds.

Irving is enjoying one of his most productive seasons with 24.4 points, 5.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

The Celtics are currently second in the Eastern Conference at 52-23, and they trail the first-place Toronto Raptors by three games.

Still just 26 years old, lingering knee problems call into question the six-year veteran's long-term outlook with the team—he is signed through 2018-19 and has a player option for the 2019-20 campaign.