Two former teammates of Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James weighed in on his situation with teammate Kyrie Irving, who recently asked for a trade. Irving approached team owner Dan Gilbert and requested a trade, saying he wants to become the No. 1 option on a team, and that he is tired of playing behind James. He also gave four teams – the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New York Knicks – as his preferred landing spots.
Bosh advised James, Irving to hash out feud
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Chris Bosh advised James and Irving to come together and hash out their differences. Bosh played with James with the Miami Heat, winning two NBA titles from 2010 to 2014 before the latter decided to return to the Cavaliers. However, Bosh said he understands Irving’s desire to write his own legacy instead of being known as James’ sidekick. "Absolutely, that's what we all want, right?" said Bosh, who accepted a lesser role with the Heat in order for the team to succeed.
Bosh, who was recently released by the Heat, said he plans to continue his NBA career despite health issues that derailed his career in Miami.
An 11-time All-Star, Bosh averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in 893 career games with the Toronto Raptors and the Heat. Even if he retires, Bosh is financially secure, as the Heat will pay the remaining $52.1 million of his contract through bi-monthly installments of $434,393.
Drew Gooden offered a different solution
When asked by TMZ Sports, former NBA forward Drew Gooden provided a different solution to the problem, saying James and Irving should fight each other in an effort to get out their frustrations. Gooden was James’ teammate with the Cavaliers from 2004 through 2008. A 4th overall pick by Orlando in 2002, Gooden played 14 years in the NBA with the Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Washington Wizards.
Earlier, Stephen A. Smith reported that James “would be tempted to beat Irving’s a**” if he “was in front of him right now” because he was projected as a bad teammate. However, James denied Smith’s report in a Twitter post, saying “#NotFacts people! Boooo!! Get another source." Smith added that Irving was blaming James for leaking his trade demand to the media. As of now, James has only vented via his Instagram account, where he recently posted two songs by rapper Meek Mill entitled “Wins and Losses” and “Heavy Heart," with lyrics alluding to Irving, who then unfollowed James on Instagram.