More and more keeps trickling out about the most controversial off-season in quite some time in which a team that was coming off an NBA Finals appearance and a year removed from an NBA title, traded their 25-year-old star point guard and dealt with rumors all summer that the best player in the league would bolt in free agency after the upcoming season.
Now according to a piece published by Jackie MacMullen and ESPN on Wednesday, Irving says the Cavaliers wanted him out and that led to the trade and that the Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert tried to get LeBron to commit to the team long-term over the summer and he wouldn’t.
“When Gilbert, who declined to be interviewed for this story, was presented with the Celtics as a trade partner for Irving, he went to LeBron and tried to secure a pledge from his franchise player to remain beyond the 2017-18 season. James, team and league sources confirm, wouldn’t commit.”
Two things:
No.1: This in no way means LeBron is leaving the Cavaliers this summer, he just wants to maintain the power and keep his options open, something he has always done. He probably doesn’t even know for sure what his plans are yet.
No. 2: This is 100% why the Cavaliers ensured that Brooklyn’s unprotected 2018 pick was included in the deal, so they could try and prepare themselves for a future with or without LeBron James.
All that we do know is that the LeBron James looming free agency will absolutely consume the NBA and sports world come July 1 (or whenever the NBA Finals end) as it did in 2010 and 2014.
Grab your popcorn…
