The Cavaliers have a bit of a problem on their hands when it comes to trading star point guard Kyrie Irving. Cleveland knows what Irving’s value is as a 25-year-old, 4-time All-Star who has two years remaining on his deal, and they want to be compensated fairly in honoring his trade request.
Other teams seem less interested in meeting the Cavaliers’ asking price — which is reportedly a current starter, quality young player on a rookie deal, and a future first round pick — and this is keeping any trade discussions involving Irving from progressing very far. The Suns have reportedly refused to ship Devin Booker or Josh Jackson to Cleveland in exchange for Irving. The Cavs would allegedly take a deal involving Eric Bledsoe, Booker or Jackson, and the 2018 Miami pick Phoenix has, but the Suns won’t put all of that on the table — at least as of yet.
Phoenix isn’t the only team holding out on offering young assets to Cleveland, though. Per separate reports, the Timberwolves and Nuggets have each refused to put their best current young players into trade offers.
In Minnesota, it’s former No. 1 overall pick (ironically of the Cavaliers) Andrew Wiggins who they’re holding out on, per Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 in Minneapolis, which is keeping any talks from getting serious.
Not Wiggins, and it'll take him and more.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) August 1, 2017
Word is they want more than Aldrich to make the $$ work. They want something of substance in addition to Wiggins. No trade w/ MN is close.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) August 1, 2017
In Denver, the Nuggets aren’t willing to part ways with either Gary Harris or Jamal Murray, two of their top backcourt talents, according to Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto.
So now the Cavaliers find themselves in the miserable position of having to sit and wait, hoping someone brings them a package worthy of their young star before they have to decide between keeping him in an awkward situation for the start of the season or accepting a discounted trade offer.
