Could a Kyrie Irving Trade be in the Cleveland Cavaliers' Future?
Irving's current contract with the Cavaliers expires after the 2019-20 season
It is hard to imagine the Cleveland Cavaliers making three straight NBA Finals appearances without star guard Kyrie Irving. However, while he may be a prominent fixture in the franchise's present and immediate past, is there a chance that he could eventually be removed from its future?
In a recent article, Metro US pointed out some reasons for why the Cavaliers may eventually think about trading Irving.
In the article, LeBron James' looming free agency could play a role in the proceedings.
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Should James bolt Cleveland a second time, the Cavaliers may be looking at a roster built around Irving and Kevin Love, two gifted offensive players who do not seem to offer as much on the other end.
A team with Irving and Love may be good enough to make the postseason, but unless another star is added, they may not make much noise even if they get there.
The article suggests that Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert is aware of this, and thus, he may look at Irving as the one piece that can bring back the assets needed to facilitate a quicker rebuild.
If James really does leave Cleveland again, it may indeed be the best move for the Cavaliers to blow things up as opposed to treading water with a squad that may simply not be good enough to make a run at the title. However, it may also be asking a lot of the fans to accept an Irving trade.
After all, it was Irving's iconic three-pointer that gave the Cavaliers the final lead they would never relinquish en route to winning their first NBA Championship. It was also Irving who served as a beacon of light for die-hard fans looking for any semblance of hope when the franchise endured some lean years in the wake of James' first departure.
Irving may not be as revered a figure in Cleveland as his teammate wearing number 23, but he is beloved too.
For now, worrying over a potential Irving trade may be a tad premature, especially with the Cavaliers still widely regarded as the favorites to win the Eastern Conference next season, but next summer may be very different.
More news about the latest NBA trade rumors should be made available soon.
