#Kyrie Irving, four-time NBA All-Star, requested the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise owner Dan Gilbert to trade him. Over the past two weeks, there has been full scrutiny, in the NBA, of Kyrie's request. He has been with the Cleveland Cavaliers since 2011 when they made him the number one overall pick in the NBA draft lottery. Irving, who is the second best player in the Cavs, expressed the desire to be a focal point and said that he no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James.
Kyrie Irving wants the power to belong to him and to be a centre piece in a franchise
It appears like Kyrie was jaded with working as a secondary star. He wants a situation whereby he is the focal point, and he feels a trade would give him that. When LeBron James came back to the Cleveland Cavaliers he said that he would make Kyrie Irving one of the best point guards in the league. His coming changed the team’s fortune, and he delivered Kyrie into the championship chase. Together they made history in Cleveland by reaching three straight NBA finals and winning the championship in 2016. But there is a distressing narrative- at least to Kyrie- that he is nothing without James. True to this, NBA statistics expose that Irving has not excelled when playing without James.
Last season the Cavaliers were outscored by 90 points in 574 minutes when Irving played and James did not. In the NBA finals, 2017, against the Golden State Warriors the Cleveland Cavaliers were outscored 37-13 when Irving was on the court and James was off. It is highly likely that Kyrie Irving is bent on countering that narrative by seeking a trade so that he may play independent of James and control his own career.
The other big deal around Kyrie Irving’s request to be traded out this year may be James’ plan before July 2018
James can be a free agent next summer; which means he can leave the Cleveland Cavaliers if he so chooses. He is the greatest player in the team and given that he has not committed himself to a new deal there is uncertainty about his future.
This makes everyone feel like the end has come in Cleveland. Perhaps Kyrie feels that he cannot wait until next year to request a trade when James leaves or perhaps decides to stay. Kyrie has two seasons left on his contract and it is harder to get traded with one season left on a deal.
More than a dozen teams are interested in trading for Kyrie Irving
He has unbelievable ball handling skills capped with an offensive repertoire, and being just 25 years old there is a reason to believe that he is yet to play the best basketball of his life. It is little wonder that teams want him. There were approximately 20 teams that were in the mix for Kyrie Irving, according to league sources. Far fewer have registered legitimate offers and some simply don’t have what it takes to make the deal happen.
So far only six teams have registered legitimate offers to the Cavaliers according to league sources, and there is belief that more are in the shadows - they are the San Antonio Spurs, the LA Clippers, the Phoenix Suns, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. Investments made in order to trade for him are expected to be massive because his value is high. With many trade scenarios to be looked at we are waiting to see which team will register the most aggressive offer that may convince the Cavs ownership to trade Kyrie, their most valuable asset right now.
Kyrie Irving himself has his preferred list. Several possibilities were discussed in his meeting with the Cavaliers’ organization, and San Antonio Spurs were the preferred destination.
Other teams, he would be willing to join include the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. This wish list may not fit because to have a wish list is for players who have a no-trade clause. Kyrie still has two years on his contract and cannot choose to go or not to go to a team. It is down to these teams to convince the Cavaliers to move Kyrie Irving to them because they will only make a deal if a great one comes along. Kyrie has said that he does not want to play alongside LeBron James anymore, and I think that if they do not sort the issues that are happening they will have to trade him even though they have the option not to.
Meanwhile, LeBron James has quashed rumours of tension with Kyrie and has said that he is going to play with whoever is there.
