Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving is interested in playing for the Denver Nuggets, according to former teammate Mike Miller. In an interview with 950 AM Altitude Radio, Miller said Irving is considering a move to the Nuggets. “He’s definitely, definitely interested in it and I told him by putting this thing out there he has no choice,” he said. Miller, who played the last two seasons with the Nuggets, said Denver is an unbelievable city and the Nuggets is something that Irving would consider as his next destination. Earlier, Irving asked the Cavaliers for a trade and named four teams – the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat or the New York Knicks – as his preferred destinations.
In his meeting with team owner Dan Gilbert, Irving claimed that he wants to become the focal point of a team’s offense and he’s tired of playing under LeBron James’ huge shadow. According to sources close to James, he was blindsided by Irving’s decision. After playing with Irving during the 2014-15 season, Miller joined the Nuggets via a two-year deal worth $7 million. He played 47 games in his first season and was limited to 20 outings the following year, averaging just 1.4 points per game. The Nuggets waived him before his $3.5 million salary for the 2017-18 season became fully guaranteed.
Irving can become Nuggets’ No. 1 option
Miller said Irving would get his goal of becoming a team’s No.
1 option if he joins the Nuggets. The veteran said the Nuggets could turn Irving into the leader of the pack, which also includes power forward Paul Millsap and center Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets have several players who can interest the Cavs, including Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray. The Nuggets also have future draft picks that they can throw in to complete the deal.
Cavaliers starting to engage trade talks for Irving
The Cavaliers top brass neither confirmed nor denied Irving’s request for a trade but according to Zach Lowe of ESPN, Cleveland has starting to engage trade talks for the All-Star point guard. It was reported that the Knicks, Suns and the Cavs are working on a three-team deal that will bring Irving and center Tyson Chandler to New York, Carmelo Anthony and Eric Bledsoe to Cleveland and Kevin Love and rookie Frank Ntilikina to Phoenix.
The Timberwolves were reportedly willing to offer Andrew Wiggins to the Cavaliers for Irving. Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns both urged the Wolves to trade for Irving so they can form a Big Three and become a dominant force in the Western Conference.
