Via ESPN
Summer League ended, and the basketball universe was supposed to take a break. This was the time for us to watch the Big3 and complain about the annual period of no basketball. Melo's trade news would come in and save us, then 2k would hold us over until opening night. This was all set in stone, but Kyrie Irving had other plans--plans that didn't involve Cleveland, LeBron James, or being anyone's second fiddle. Friday afternoon, Brian Windhorst, a.k.a The LeBron Whisperer, reported that Kyrie requested a trade to team officials a week ago. As expected, panic ensued around a 25 year-old superstar ready to change teams. LeBron sent subliminal shots in the form of Meek Mill lyrics, Kevin Love used Kyrie's own words to subtweet him, and even JR Smith got in on the subbing with the classic " don't you lie to me" Kodak Black lyrics. With the return of Kyrie to Cleveland being close to 0%, everyone is left wondering: Where will Kyrie end up? And how did LeBron and the Cavs let this happen?
Via The Ringer
Kyrie Irving to the __________(insert team name in space provided)?
Unless your team drafted a point guard or has an All-NBA point guard, chances are you've heard a possibility of your team getting Kyrie. Although Irving made it clear he'd like to get traded to either the Spurs, Knicks, Timberwolves, or Heat, the power isn't in his hands. Irving is coming off a career season and has two years remaining on his contract. Cleveland is going to trade Irving to whoever offers the most, regardless of who he prefers. The trade that everyone is coming up with seems to be Eric Bledsoe and Carmelo Anthony to the Cavs, Kyrie Irving to the Knicks, and the Cavs unloading either Tristan Thompson or a combination of Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye on the Suns. A deal with the Spurs seems as unlikely and impossible as it does likely and doable. Kyrie to the Spurs makes sense from a best fit for Irving standpoint. He gets to play with a top-5 player that doesn't get the herald of a top-5 player, which would leave the spotlight for himself. But for that trade to materialize, a team would have to be sold on an all-time low confidence LaMarcus Aldrige. Not likely. Another interesting trade would be a Kyrie Irving for DeMarcus Cousins swap. Kyrie and AD wreak havoc in New Orleans, while LeBron gets the wildcard that could be the Warriors kryptonite in DeMarcus Cousins. Also, not likely. Basically, no one knows where Kyrie is going, so go ahead and imagine him on your favorite team in the meantime.
Via Youtube/Hicko
I know, it hurts Cavs' fans. You imagined LeBron and Kyrie running the East well into the next decade. You prayed that if anyone was to get traded let it be Kevin Love. Kyrie Irving just couldn't take it anymore.
"It" doesn't seem to be one specific thing, instead it seems a number of factors are at play. The first, and most reported, factor being that Kyrie wants to be the main guy and receive the credit he fills he deserves. Irving averaged more shots than LeBron, statistically had the ball in his hand more times than LeBron, and averaged a career-high 25ppg alongside LeBron. So the push for a trade has to come from off-court issues. James is known to subtweet teammates, not hold back in his criticisms, and is in the final year of his contract. According to Brian Windhorst, Kyrie has always had issues with LeBron, but GM David Griffin was always able to calm him down. The Cavaliers let David Griffin walk two weeks before Irving's trade request. The final domino in this whole situation seemed to be Irving hearing the Cavs put his name into trade packages for either Paul George or Jimmy Butler. Tired of playing Robin, mixed with uncertainty of the team's future, and feeling disrespected by his name's inclusion in trade talks, Kyrie decided he'd rather not be a Cavalier.
Expect an Irving trade by late September--the start of training camp.