NBA All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving said at a fan event that he plans to sign a long-term contract extension with the team in 2019 summer after weeks of communications with Boston's ownership, reported Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on Thursday.

Since he was traded to the Celtics from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 summer, Irving had a tricky season in Boston as the team lost Gordon Hayward in the opener and Irving himself had to say goodbye to the rest of the season for knee operation before the playoffs. Though the Celtics made it to the Eastern Finals and only lost to the Cavaliers after seven games, it's still hard for the five-time All-Star player to call it a successful season.

What further complicated things was that Irving turned down a four-year contract extension offer worth 108 million US dollars from Boston in June. Although multiple experts and media outlets pointed out that his decision was more financially driven, Irving can receive 188 million US dollars if he resigns with the Celtics in 2019 summer. 

Rumors about him leaving the team, either by choice or through trade, began to spread. Some even predicted that Irving planned to join Jimmy Butler, who also turned down a contract extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the New York Knicks in 2019 offseason.

Now that Irving has made the promise, both the Celtics and their fans should rest assured that they can remain competitive for years in the future. "It means a lot when you have a guy that has won at the highest level, has been where you want to go, wants to do it again with you. It's great for him, the organization and this city that he wants to come back," Marcus Smart, the point guard of the Celtics told NBC Sports Boston.

Paul Pierce, legend of Boston is also happy about Irving's decision to stay. According to NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg, Pierce was quoted saying: "I think that's huge, I think he has an understanding after being here a year it's all about legacy. To have a legacy here in Boston, it could be like none other in the NBA."

Irving has already proved what he can do with his performances during the 2015-16 NBA Finals, especially with that game-winning three-pointer right in front of Stephen Curry in Game 7. Since LeBron James left the Eastern Conference, he now needs to prove that he is capable of leading a team to the championship.