Mixed messages about Kyrie’s future

[Jvalin]

He would be stuck in just such a situation this year though, and again he wanted out because they tried to trade him. Spending another year where you are miserable with LBJ would suck, and then another year after he bailed on the team and suddenly ownership pretending your the cornerstone after they just tried to trade you?

That sounds like a pretty bad two years for Kyrie, once it was clear he was unhappy. He very well might have dealt with one more LBJ year if he thought Gilbert was willing to build around him, but that clearly wasn't the case because they just tried to trade him for Bledsoe/George.

No way the Cavs would have traded Kyrie, had he not asked for a trade. LeBron wanted Kyrie in Cleveland. At the end of the day, what LeBron wants LeBron gets.

He would be stuck in just such a situation this year though

Not necessarily. Kyrie managed to make the Cavs trade him with 2 years remaining on his contract. I bet he could have done the same thing with just 1 year remaining on his contract.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to trade Kyrie, neither do I believe that he is gonna bolt the C's next summer. I just love to talk about the trade rumors.

[Jvalin]

People keep saying this but it doesn't really make much sence to me. Kyrie is about to hit free agency in 2019. How would he be stuck in Cleveland?

Even for a high level player, you have what a 15 year career in the NBA? And about 6-8 years in your prime?

Kyrie spending 25% of his prime (and 13% of your career) somewhere he didn't want to be is a big deal. Plus he probably thought they were going to end up trading him, they almost did after all.

It's one thing to say that he didn't wanna be in Cleveland and a whole nother thing that he was afraid of being stuck there. Not to mention, the Cavs were second favourites to win the title in 2017-18. It isn't as if he would be stuck in a dead end situation or something.

Worst case? Lol... So you waste two of your years playing with a team next to Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson? (Who by the way thinks he will have his career season with LeBron gone.  )

Many times LeBron dictated the roster, and ownership. Is it really surprising that Kyrie got sick and tired of being in that situation?

Yeah, that's exactly what I wrote mate (not). You 'waste' 1 year playing with LeBron James (the best player in the world) and then worst case scenario LeBron leaves and you demand a trade. Even if the Cavs had turned down Kyrie's trade request, he could have always left in 2019 via free agency. Sounds like he would be stuck in Cleveland after all.

[gouki88]

People keep saying this but it doesn't really make much sence to me. Kyrie is about to hit free agency in 2019. How would he be stuck in Cleveland?

Even for a high level player, you have what a 15 year career in the NBA? And about 6-8 years in your prime?

Kyrie spending 25% of his prime (and 13% of your career) somewhere he didn't want to be is a big deal. Plus he probably thought they were going to end up trading him, they almost did after all.

It's one thing to say that he didn't wanna be in Cleveland and a whole nother thing that he was afraid of being stuck there. Not to mention, the Cavs were second favourites to win the title in 2017-18. It isn't as if he would be stuck in a dead end situation or something.

Worst case? Lol... So you waste two of your years playing with a team next to Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson? (Who by the way thinks he will have his career season with LeBron gone.  )

Many times LeBron dictated the roster, and ownership. Is it really surprising that Kyrie got sick and tired of being in that situation?

Yeah, that's exactly what I wrote mate (not). You 'waste' 1 year playing with LeBron James (the best player in the world) and then worst case scenario LeBron leaves and you demand a trade. Sounds like he would be stuck in Cleveland after all.

It's probably worse for him to demand a trade with only 1 year left on his contract though - both in terms of the perception of him around the league (flaking on his team as soon as it gets bad, etc.) and in terms of him only having a year to acclimate to a new team.

Plus, it's not as if just because a player is good that you can't have issues on and off the court with them

[Jvalin]

People keep saying this but it doesn't really make much sence to me. Kyrie is about to hit free agency in 2019. How would he be stuck in Cleveland?

Even for a high level player, you have what a 15 year career in the NBA? And about 6-8 years in your prime?

Kyrie spending 25% of his prime (and 13% of your career) somewhere he didn't want to be is a big deal. Plus he probably thought they were going to end up trading him, they almost did after all.

It's one thing to say that he didn't wanna be in Cleveland and a whole nother thing that he was afraid of being stuck there. Not to mention, the Cavs were second favourites to win the title in 2017-18. It isn't as if he would be stuck in a dead end situation or something.

Worst case? Lol... So you waste two of your years playing with a team next to Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson? (Who by the way thinks he will have his career season with LeBron gone.  )

Many times LeBron dictated the roster, and ownership. Is it really surprising that Kyrie got sick and tired of being in that situation?

Yeah, that's exactly what I wrote mate (not). You 'waste' 1 year playing with LeBron James (the best player in the world) and then worst case scenario LeBron leaves and you demand a trade. Sounds like he would be stuck in Cleveland after all.

It's probably worse for him to demand a trade with only 1 year left on his contract though - both in terms of the perception of him around the league (flaking on his team as soon as it gets bad, etc.) and in terms of him only having a year to acclimate to a new team.

Plus, it's not as if just because a player is good that you can't have issues on and off the court with them

It would be far more likely for Cleveland to trade him though, cause otherwise they would lose him for nothing.

My point is that Kyrie wouldn't be stuck in Cleveland.

[johnnygreen]

If Kyrie didn't believe in the management and ownership in Cleveland, then why would he have any interest in going to even worse scenarios in New York and Brooklyn? Those two teams may be in the bottom ten run organizations in the league.

Brooklyn has been very well run since they cleared house of the guys whom Danny Ainge ripped off.

While I do agree with you, it's also not saying much either when being compared to that crew. They still seem very far away from being relevant.

[saltlover]

If Kyrie didn't believe in the management and ownership in Cleveland, then why would he have any interest in going to even worse scenarios in New York and Brooklyn? Those two teams may be in the bottom ten run organizations in the league.

Brooklyn has been very well run since they cleared house of the guys whom Danny Ainge ripped off.

While I do agree with you, it's also not saying much either when being compared to that crew. They still seem very far away from being relevant.

Sure, they’re a ways off, but they also aren’t a bottom ten run organization at this point.  If I were a free agent wanting to play in NY, they would be my easy choice over the Knicks.

[JHTruth]

I am growing very tired of Irving's never-ending drama with all his stories being about Kyrie, Kyrie, Kyrie.  I'm tired of the fawning fans who pretend to admire his independence and that he "marches to a different drummer" and "he's different" , "he's unique", "That's just Kyrie".

What exactly is Kyrie Irving looking for ? He is currently the leading offensive player on a title-contending team with potential to stay in that way for the next decade. He also plays for the most celebrated franchise in the NBA with a fan base second to none and tradition just dripping from the walls of the beautiful, new Boston Garden. He gets to have great teammates who bend over to be respectful towards him and who happily share the ball. He has the brightest, young coach in the league. If Irving had the right mindset, he could dig in here long-term and commit to leading this great franchise to winning more banners and watching his number go up in the rafters one day.

Instead he prefers to keep everyone guessing while he daydreams about going home to the Knicks along with his favorite homeboys to go "ball it out" in Madison Square Garden and have fun, fun, fun 'til it all blows up in his face in the cesspool of self-centerdness that seems to be what this guy values most.

It's tough to know what Kyrie is thinking about at any given time, it's true. I have no idea whether he stays or bolts, but at this point I would prepare for a nerve-wracking FA process with several teams going to his house to grovel. Celtic fans aren't used to these type of things so managing the PR during the process will be key for Kyrie's team..