Rozier: 'I might have to go' if Celtics bring back same roster

Terry Rozier could be inching closer toward an exit from Beantown.

Just days after saying he's ready for a "fresh start," the Boston Celtics guard didn't express much interest in returning to the club if it brings the same core back next season.

"No, I might have to go," Rozier said during an appearance Tuesday on ESPN's "First Take."

"I put up with a lot this year, so I said what I said after the season," he continued. "I think we all know that I’m not trying to step into that again."

The 25-year-old was largely relegated to a backup role during the 2018-19 season following the return of All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving from a knee injury. It was a difficult adjustment for Rozier after growing accustomed to a new style of play.

"The ball was in either Kyrie or Gordon Hayward's hands most of the time," Rozier said, according to NBC Boston's Darren Hartwell. "So, I feel like Terry Rozier is just in the corner or on the bench."

According to Rozier, his teammates also went through their share of troubles accommodating Irving.

"What we'd be talking about in practice is not what we went through in the game," Rozier said on ESPN's "Get Up!."

"It was like, all right, we're going to keep Kyrie out there and put the other guys out there with him, and we're going to figure it out."

Rozier thrived in a starting role during the 2017-18 campaign, averaging 14.7 points, 6.1 boards, and five assists per contest across the Celtics' final 13 regular-season games. He further elevated his play in the postseason while helping lead Boston to within a game of the NBA Finals.

Rozier's numbers in most categories dropped this past season, including points (9.0), rebounds (3.5), and field-goal percentage (38.7 percent). He'll be a restricted free agent this offseason and is reportedly drawing interest from the New York Knicks.