Arguably, the biggest news of the NBA offseason broke this week when sources claim that Kyrie Irving told the Cleveland Cavaliers that he wants them to trade him. The sources indicate that the reason Kyrie wants out of Cleveland is that he no longer wants to play with LeBron James and feels that he wants to be a star and focus of another team rather than continue to play second-fiddle to LeBron.
ESPN reported that LeBron James seemed a bit shaken at first by the news that Kyrie Irving did not want to play with him anymore but said that he will move on regardless.
LeBron James talks Cleveland Cavaliers
When asked about the Kyrie Irving news, ESPN reported that LeBron James said that he will talk to the Cleveland Cavaliers front office and let them know that he will lead his teammates no matter who they might be in the 2017-18 NBA season. LeBron also said that he will let the Cavaliers and team owner Dan Gilbert deal with Kyrie Irving and his trade demands and not get involved with the situation himself.
Interestingly, sources indicate that Kyrie Irving spoke to a number of his teammates about his thoughts about not wanting to play with LeBron James anymore. However, it seems like those unnamed teammates kept quiet because no one knew about the demands until he spoke to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lebron James said he had no idea and no one had said anything to him about Irving's feelings.
Problems with a Kyrie Irving trade
A lot of people blasted Paul George for telling the Indian Pacers that he was leaving one year before his option hit. What Kyrie Irving did is almost as bad. Irving waited until players like Jimmy Butler and Paul George already found new homes in trades before he made his intentions clear, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers with little to get in return for their star player.
However, there is still a chance that the Cavs could find something of value for Kyrie. He still has three years left on his contract and can't opt out until after two more seasons. That means that whoever trades for him will get him for at least two full seasons, making him more valuable than Paul George was.
There is also the fact that Derrick Rose is looking for a new home.
He spoke with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers offered him a chance for more playing time as he mentored Lonzo Ball but now he could end up the starter in Cleveland if he signs and the team trades Kyrie Irving.
