Take your pick on the popular saying to describe the now-seemingly inevitable breakup of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. Nothing gold can stay, perhaps, or maybe that history has a way of repeating itself. What’s clear is that this isn’t the first time two megastars have gradually seethed their way to separate teams. In fact, it happens fairly often.
An article by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner points out exactly this and is filled with anonymous quotes about how Kyrie Irving’s request for a trade out of Cleveland mirrors many recent breakups of NBA super teams.
“Irving’s situation is a repeat of history, like Shaq and Kobe, or Shaq and Penny, or Barkley and Pippen,” said one longtime NBA executive. “It’s two big stars fighting for the limelight.”
The relationship between Irving and LeBron reportedly deteriorated slowly, but it still shocked James when he heard Kyrie wanted out of Cleveland. Some sources indicated that it was his return to Lake Erie, and the way he came back, that upset Irving from the start.
According to one source, it always “rubbed Kyrie the wrong way” that LeBron didn’t reach out to any Cavaliers players before making his decision. And James had a contentious relationship with both Irving and Dion Waiters during the early days.
More to the point, it’s clear that Irving wants to find success where he’s the focal point of an offense. Players rave about Irving and his ability to finish, but LeBron will always be the star that overshadows Irving until they part ways. For Kyrie, happiness isn’t another championship in Cleveland. It’s a championship of his own making.
“Kyrie’s tired of being lil bro. He wants be the man,” said a league source. “So why wait? Why play the year out?” Two sources told me on Friday that Irving went into the offseason thinking about demanding a trade. It was only last week, during a meeting with the Cavaliers, that he made his desire for a trade clear. In his report, Windhorst wrote that “Irving considered requesting a trade after the Cavs’ championship last year but decided against it.”
Where Irving goes or even when he gets traded is far from decided, but the more we hear about Irving’s desires and his view of his place in Cleveland, the more it seems like it’s a foregone conclusion Irving’s on his way out.
