It’s been a chaotic offseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They haven’t been able to make any major moves to upgrade their roster after falling short in the NBA Finals, which has frustrated LeBron James. They fired general manager David Griffin and have merely added a couple of role players.
With James and Kyrie Irving recently voicing their disappointment in the organization, it was expected that something big was bound to happen.
In a meeting held last week, Irving asked the Cavaliers to trade him, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Irving wants to play in a situation where he could be the focal point of the team, no longer wanting to play alongside James.
Although the Cavaliers have found success the last three seasons since re-acquiring James, Irving appears to be content with what he has already achieved and wants his own team.
What does this mean for LeBron James?
The bigger question here is what this means for LeBron James. Many reports have suggested that the three-time champion is going to go to Los Angeles next year to be closer to his businesses by joining the Lakers. Could that possibly be the real reason Irving doesn’t want to stay?
The Cavaliers have, after all, had a difficult time recruiting free agents, knowing that James may ditch Cleveland again. It was also previously reported that Irving would request a trade next season if James left.
There is clearly some connection between Irving’s decision to demand a trade, and James possibly leaving next summer.
What do the Cavaliers do now?
It’s obvious that the Cavaliers are in turmoil and could be headed toward mediocrity. However, it’s unclear if they will meet Irving’s demands anytime soon. Also, it is not clear where Irving would be traded to if Cleveland does indeed grant his wish.
Unfortunately, after making the Finals, this could be a disastrous season for the Cavaliers – one superstar has demanded a trade and the other is unsure whether he will re-sign with the team next offseason.
Perhaps all the early-offseason failures have pushed the team to this point. The team did fire David Griffin when he was close to acquiring Bulls superstar Jimmy Butler, and they have made little to no effort when it comes to reconstructing the roster and upgrading. Currently, they are in the mix for Derrick Rose and will meet with the former MVP face-to-face in coming days, but the addition of Rose wouldn’t put them any closer to Golden State.
