LeBron James isn’t the only one who doesn’t feel great about the Cleveland Cavaliers offseason.
Kyrie Irving is right there with him.
Asked by SI.com’s Maggie Gray about how different the Cavaliers could look in the next couple years given that LeBron is a free agent in 2018, Irving gave a less-than-reassuring answer:
SI‘s Maggie Gray asked Irving, “How different could the Cavaliers team look in just a couple years” considering the latest rumors regarding LeBron James’ leaving to join the Los Angeles Lakers after his contract is up in 2018. Irving could be a free agent after the 2018-19 season.
“Like I said, we’re in a peculiar place,” Irving said. “The best thing we can do is handle things with class and professionalism. Obviously we have a great owner that’s willing to spend a little money on guys that he believes in. At this point, we just see what happens throughout the summer.”
Peculiar doesn’t even begin to describe it. The Cavaliers remain the toast of the Eastern Conference, and yet they’re still miles away from where they need to be, because the Golden State Warriors are so far out in front.
Irving’s comments come on the heels of a report from USA Today‘s Jeff Zillgitt that states LeBron is unhappy with how the Cavaliers have handled their summer. Not only did they jettison general manager David Griffin, a James favorite, but they’ve failed to improve the roster enough to make him think they can compete with the Warriors. That, obviously, is a problem with him speeding toward free agency next July.
It also paints the Cavaliers into a corner. Both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love can enter free agency in 2019, at which time both might leave if James is already gone. Cleveland, then, could have a massacre on its hands this time next year. Should James bolt, the Cavaliers have to at least consider cleaning house, dealing Irving and Love, in addition to Tristan Thompson.
So yes, they’re in a peculiar place. Rare is the healthy championship contender that can come completely undone is such a short amount of time.
