The NBA community was in utter disbelief following the reports of Kyrie Irving requesting a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Many were, of course, saddened by his decision, most especially the fans of the team. With his upcoming exit – which is just a matter of time only – it is interesting to see how the franchise will move forward.
But perhaps the best part here is knowing what kind of significance Kyrie Irving will leave empty. Obviously, he is (or was) the team’s go-to point guard, and it is safe to say that no one is capable of replacing him – not even Deron Williams.
Irving has become a staple in the team that, in one way or another, seeing him leave is like the beginning of LeBron James and the Cavaliers’ failure to progress towards the finals.
What does Irving offer to the floor?
According to SBNation, it is so wrong for people to label Irving an anachronistic player. Unlike the traditional point guards out there, he is always a huge threat from the three point arc. Remember the time when he sank a huge three, ending the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title drought? This even goes without saying that he can go into the basket with explosiveness and finesse. Perhaps Irving is a more of a hybrid modern guard, one that is both effective from the stretch and is capable of making team plays.
So which part will Kyrie Irving hurt the team the most with his exit? Well, it is none other than the offense department, obviously. Irving is capable of draining huge threes, cycling his way to the basket for twos, and earning added points from the free throw line. He averaged 22 points per game in his second season in the league.
These numbers even increased when he played alongside LeBron James, who, ironically, is the reason for his impending leave. At the end of the day, Irving is a massive scoring machine for the Cavs. Although this is a battle that Cleveland does not want to lose, there is nothing that they can do except make the trade official.
The problem with an Irving-lead team, though
As much as people want to praise Kyrie Irving for his offensive capabilities, they cannot really applaud him for his leadership skills. This lackluster was actually evident during his first few years in Cleveland where he led the team in scoring. Sure, Irving has given the boys so much in terms of points; however, as a real point guard, his lack of leadership skills was a roadblock to the team's dream of winning a championship. Although he can be blamed for the Cavs playoff failures (pre-LeBron period), the front office cannot really do so. Why? Because it is just too difficult to do that to a player who has given the right numbers for the team.
Once Kyrie Irving sets his foot to this new team, obviously, he will be given the focal role.
He will be in the spotlight, but the real struggle will be more about his competency to lead the team on his shoulder. Perhaps time and experience have taught him the lessons and that he might be a changed player. But of course, he cannot simply eradicate people’s first impression towards him. Well, it is an interesting sight to see as soon as these events unfold.
