Kyrie Irving shocked the entire basketball community when he announced his trade request. He wanted to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers in pursuit of a team in which he would be the focal point. This happened, though, as the Boston Celtics acquired him via trade.
With his new-found team, Irving is reportedly looking forward to a brighter career in Boston. He does not just want to be a great point guard; he wants to be a complete player. Here is everything about it in a nutshell.
His hopes in the Celtics
According to Slam Online, Kyrie Irving is set to take on a larger role with his new team.
He even plans to prove his critics and doubters wrong by becoming a “complete point guard.” For him, this is the kind of role he wants to take, as he sees Boston as a “great team.” Obviously, the NBA superstar wants to show the world that he is not just a one-on-one player. Most of his critics always talk about his inability to become the main focal point of a team. Although Irving reportedly understood their opinions, he is confident that he has what it takes to be a leader.
ESPN reports that Irving’s decision to leave Cleveland had nothing to do with basketball. For him, it was more about finding better opportunities. Reports, however, suggest that the 25-year-old point guard felt like a second guy playing alongside LeBron James.
Per ESPN’s First Take, Irving discussed the things he wanted to do in Boston. He mentioned about being able to dissect the opposing team’s defense, so as to free his teammates.
What other players are saying
While most of the Cleveland fans did not like Irving’s decision, some NBA players actually applauded him for his guts. Take Scottie Pippen for example.
In an interview with ESPN, he said that Irving was in a superstar position to make such decisions and that he deserved this opportunity. John Wall of the Washington Wizards admitted that he was a bit surprised with Irving’s trade request. However, he understood Kyrie’s move, as this was something common in all young players.
Wall further added that anyone who plays with James would become second in all aspects. The Washington superstar said, though, that people need to give some of the credit to Irving.
Kyrie Irving’s trade to Boston involved fan-favorite Isaiah Thomas, among many others. While some Celtics fans were furious with the move, others expressed their excitement towards getting Irving. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers were successful in acquiring Derrick Rose from the New York Knicks. It will be interesting to see how far this new roster can go next season.
