Kyrie Irving’s Trade Demand Only Makes The Warriors Dynasty More Impressive


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Kyrie Irving is right about one thing: there’s a lot that’s peculiar about the NBA these days.

Sure, it’s late July. Arenas are hosting concerts and the only real basketball happening right now is in driveways and AAU gyms. But the story of the summer isn’t what’s happening on any court, but in the minds of some of basketball’s best players. Free agency is an exercise in player personality as much as it is team vision, but few could have predicted that the fate of Irving, under contract until 2020, would play such a huge role on what happens this summer.

The story has spiraled well past the original surprise that Irving wanted out of Cleveland in the first place. That’s the thing about news like this — it appears to grow larger as time goes on. Once the demand for a trade is made public, you get the reaction to that news, as well as the reporting that works backward to its origin.

Kyrie Irving is unhappy in Cleveland. But how long has he been unhappy? On and on it goes.


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The fact that all this exists at all points to a much more tenuous existence in Cleveland than anyone ever knew was possible. That’s not to say that interpersonal issues cannot exist in even mildly successful work environments. Anyone who has held a decent job knows how quickly things can go south.

There is always drama in the workplace, but a Cleveland team that’s been so good with James and Irving didn’t exactly seem at risk of falling apart. Yet here we are, with Irving unfollowing James on Instagram and fans playing process of elimination to see who said anonymous quotes to ESPN. But the Cavaliers lost a GM and soon may lose Irving.

Compare this Cleveland team to benchmark by which all good NBA squads are tested: the Golden State Warriors. They’re not only the best team in the league, but the Dubs are also the golden standard of teamwork and camaraderie in the NBA these days. While Cleveland crumbles and falls into Lake Erie, the tempestuous waters of the San Francisco Bay have never come close to harming the Golden State Warriors.

And maybe that’s all for show. It’s entirely possible that the inevitable interpersonal squabbles plague the team that’s won two NBA titles in three seasons. In fact, it’s inevitable that people disagree inside the Warriors camp. But the fact that we haven’t heard even whispers of it, that everything appears copacetic on the outside, is a remarkable achievement.


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When Golden State blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals in 2015, there was an opportunity for implosion. The team could have turned on Steve Kerr, or players could have plotted their escape via free agency or a trade. Someone could have asked for the ball more. Playing time could have been shuffled. Demands could be levied and gone unanswered, creating resentment on a clinical level.

But, to our knowledge out here on the outside, none of that happened. The Warriors bided their time. Draymond Green processed his own failures and went out to recruit Kevin Durant, who just so happened to fit under the salary cap. They settled their differences with a little on-court drama as the regular season played out and cruised to an NBA title. Klay Thompson appears to be satisfied with his role on a team that’s a consistent competitor. Steph Curry waited his turn for a super max deal. Durant took less money to play for a winner. Twice.

The Warriors have an almost-mythical reputation in the NBA these days, but some of that status is earned in how rare their situation is. There have been castoffs like Harrison Barnes, sure, but the important parts for the Warriors have stuck around. The cost might be enormous, but with an owner willing to pay, things remain as they stand.

As sturdy as the Cavaliers seemed in the East, there was always the threat that LeBron gets restless and goes elsewhere. Golden State never had to worry about that with Curry or Green or Thompson. Not publicly, at least.


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When we learn that Kyrie Irving has quietly seethed about slights for years, perceived or otherwise, it only brings to light just how unusual it is that things have stayed together in Golden State for as long as they have. In fact, they’ve added personalities in Kevin Durant and even JaVale McGee (and now they went out and got Swaggy P, of all people) and managed to keep things together. Call it selfless, call it a super team, call it anti-labor or whatever suits your current mood, but what Golden State has achieved is improbable and also incredibly successful.

While Stephen A. Smith was threatening to “go nuclear” on LeBron, the Warriors quietly announced they re-signed every significant piece of the team that just won them a championship, making them even more likely to win another one in 2017.

In a summer of change for so many teams in the NBA, the Warriors kept their status quo and arguably got better. They’ll be the team to beat again this season – no matter who is playing for Cleveland come June.

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