Kyrie Irving‘s request to be traded is the latest story to rock the league during an eventful offseason. The news broke Friday, but Irving’s meeting with Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert took place about two weeks ago, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com.
The Cavs tried to keep it quiet so they could work on a deal without the distractions that are starting to happen now. Apparently some players learned about the news and started talking, which is how the trade request became public.
Pluto also speculates that Irving’s demand validates rumors last month that former Bulls star Jimmy Butler was warned by Cavaliers players not to push for a trade to Cleveland. They have a close friendship, so Irving may have told Butler that he was planning to leave the team. Butler was subsequently traded to the Timberwolves, one of the teams Irving included on his list of preferred destinations, along with the Spurs, Knicks and Heat.
There’s more today on the Irving trade front:
- The Wolves have a strong interest in acquiring Irving, even though they just signed former Pacers point guard Jeff Teague, Pluto adds in the same story. Pluto believes the Cavs should ask for Andrew Wiggins, whom the Cavs made the overall No. 1 draft pick in 2014, as part of the deal. Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns are untouchable, but Wiggins will be a free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before the October deadline.
- The Knicks have offered Carmelo Anthony and a parcel of draft picks, adds Pluto, who says Cleveland should insist on Kristaps Porzingis. Other teams that have expressed interest include Sacramento, with rookie De’Aaron Fox as part of the offer, and Phoenix, with a package centered around Eric Bledsoe.
- Pluto also notes that a trade would take away Irving’s opportunity to sign a super-max extension like the one John Wall just agreed to with the Wizards. The move could cost Irving between $50MM and $70MM.
- Butler and Towns have done some recruiting work with Irving and have made it clear to Wolves management they would like to acquire him, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who first broke the story of Irving’s trade request. Windhorst believes Teague would likely be included in any Minnesota-Cleveland deal and notes that as a newly signed free agent he can’t be traded until December 15th.
- The Spurs would be Irving’s first choice if he could pick a team, writes Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.
- The Cavaliers had a deal on the table involving Irving before the draft, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The trade was put together by former GM David Griffin, but the Cavaliers didn’t pull the trigger because they didn’t know that Irving wanted to leave.
This free agency just keeps getting better and better lmao…
I don’t want to see Kyrie resolve things with Lebron, Lebron is not going out like Jordan and Kobe playing for nothing, he wants 6 rings and will do whatever it takes to get them. Losing Kyrie would be a huge blow but what ever the Cavs decided to do with Kyrie, they will put a roster around Lebron to have him stay in Cleveland.
Lebron is going to the Lakers anyway!
Lakers after one more year than watch Cleveland burn the jersey ‘s again/LOL enjoy him one last year
Wondering what the Kings would have to give up
Cousins
He’s no longer there try again
Lebron is there, I imagine he plays out the year in Cleveland but no way the Cavs move him for Fox.
Would be a horrible trade melo is old and sucks. Would hold back the organization if father then it already is
Melo won’t want to go to Cavs now that Kyrie most likely won’t be there. Besides. He can take James for a few weeks at the olympics and having fun on a banana boat, but he wouldn’t be able to take lebrons demands for an entire season.
Craziest thing is nobody has come out and denied this report yet. Or at least I haven’t seen anyone.
Cavs should trade him to the Lakers. May be one way of retaining LeBron after next year.
Irving does not want to play with Lebron dude.
I think that ‘s the point. If the Lakers do get Irving, highly unlikely, then why would Lebron sign with the Lakers next year. Thus eliminating one major threat of someone signing Lebron.
Lebron is not leaving Cleveland, out West he would have to play the Warriors in the second round and take a possible earlier exit. I expect Ball to be a great player but Lebron is at a stage in his career where team hopping has to stop.
you said ball was a bust
He’ll be a great player but as second option.
Well if he just stated every possible outcome he can’t be wrong lol
I like the idea of the Cavs getting the poison-pill benefit but the Lakers only have kids to trade. It’s too early for the Cavs to do the lose-to-win thing. A 50% chance he stays is enough to stay all in. I bet that what the Cavs FO does with this situation will be the most important factor in his decision.
Dionis… It was sarcasm.
Lol I like the thinking to try to keep Lebron but Magic has basically come out and said Lonzo Ball is the new version of Magic…so no room for Kyrie
So the lakers would trade for Irving? Therefore making it impossible to acquire James. Great logic…
I believe knicks are front runners to get him. They have melo and picks to throw cavs way. I think them getting melo would keep lebron in Cleveland. Then Chris Paul and wade can follow next year. Then Cleveland has picks, stars for the now and lebron going forward.
I don’t see Paul leaving Houston to go play with Lebron.
The banana boat finally comes together
I would like to agree with you but I read that Melo no longer wants to waive the no trade clause to go to Cleveland. Let him waive the no trade clause then yes and then the Cavs can sign Rose
No Melo? Darn! What will we do at SF?
I would love to see the Knicks get him, but I would hate for them not to have a draft pick for the next 47 years. LOL
Personally, I think the T-Wolves would make the most sense, and I think, regardless of what that link abive says, that the Wolves would be Kyrie’s first choice…However, with the Wolves unable to trade Teague until December 15th, I think that takes them out of the running. Unless, Cleveland wants to wait, which I highly doubt..
Truthfully, I’m just curious about Boston.. I really wonder if the Cavs and Celtics would do business together??
The Celtics could most likely put together one of the best packages, including a mixture of players and draft picks…Also, I think if Kyrie was to join Boston, he would thoroughly enjoy meeting LeBron and Co. in the Eastern Conference Finals…Not to mention, how much he would enjoy beating them!!
So, then the question begs, what would Boston have to give up to acquire Kyrie??
I think they could offer Cleveland a package made up of Crowder, I.Thomas, the Lakers pick, and their own pick…I think that SHOULD be enough to get the deal done..If you take a quick look back at the returns for Paul, Cousins, George, and/or Jimmy Butler…then, I think one couldn’t help but agree the Cavs would be getting the best return…by quite a LARGE margin…
#1.) Cleveland would get a versatile, do-everything forward in Crowder, which would take alot of pressure off LeBron, because he wouldn’t have to guard the opposing teams best big guards or forward.
#2.) Cleveland would also get Isaiah Thomas who could immediately replace Kyrie’s offensive output, and if they need more cap space next season, then they could sign and trade Thomas, or they could just let him walk…
#3. & #4.) Plus, they would be getting, most likely, an early pick next season, and a late 1st rounder…Which they could use those picks as assets to acquire another player via trade, or they could draft a solid young player to potentially add to their core moving forward, and they would also get another likely rotation player with that Boston pick
But Kyrie to Boston would spell major trouble to every other team in the NBA…A 9 man rotation made up of Kyrie, Smart, Heyward, J.Brown, Tatum, Morris, Horford, Rozier, and Baynes would be extremely versatile, and they would be an absolute nightmare to contend with…
Not to mention, Boston would still hold, what will most likely end up becoming the #1 or #2 draft pick next season…Which could actually end up becoming a player scouts are calling the next big-time future NBA star in Michael Porter Jr…YIIKES!! lol
Boston has no cap space and Irving is on a max deal right? IT and Crowder is 13 mil that doesn’t work.
Irving only making 18 so they could toss in one of the smaller deals they have or add Smart or Brown but I don’t think the C’s should do it
Oh well in that case do Crowder, IT, Nader, Ojeleye, and a first round pick and that should be enough. Boston doesn’t deplete its depth entirely, keeps Brown and Tatum, gets better, and keeps enough financial flexibility to retain Smart because Irving is cheaper next year than IT would be. If they would take Smart instead of IT and the first rounder would be the Nets pick that’s probably ideal because both IT and Kyrie can play off the ball and on the ball. Kyrie has no say in where he goes, and I think it’s more about the danger of being trapped than the focal point thing. Lebron just has a personality that can be alienating at times it seems, and IT doesn’t have that problem I think they’d mesh pretty well together.
Bravesfan… Irving wants to be the main player. Minny has Towns, Butler and Wiggins. He’d just be party of it. Also, Coach T is a defensive minded coach. Irving would drive him nuts. Same applies with Pops. Knicks or Heat would be my guess, with the Knicks getting the advantage because of LeBron’s buddy Melo. Sprinkle draft picks in the deal and the Cavs have a team with some future to look forward to considering the Knicks are a predominate lottery team.
They will trade him to New York is my guess. Get Ntitilina, Melo, Courtney Lee and like 2 1st rounders. They can flip Ntitlina for another vet PG and b on there way. The other that would b fascinating would b swapping Irving for Mike Conley. The money is pretty much a wash and they can probably get a few picks from Memphis to package with a vet or 2 to get some other guys with.
Re-do your math on that trade could never happen
The money on Kyrie on Conley isn’t even close to a wash hahaha try again
If Kyrie goes to Minnesota, Minnesota would be ring contenders
I think Kyrie can easily play SG as he’s more of a scorer than a passer. I want them to explore a sign and trade involving Cousins and a 1st round pick.
He’s been that scorer va passer due to 1 he was the only option for his first 3 years. And 2. He had to fit into James’ rules. People forget that James brings the all up he court most of the time. People also forget James was brought into the league as a PG. remember how the AS games use to be with having so many of each position and how upset James was bc the east at the time had too many of so he didn’t make the AS game.
LBJ plays like a PG but he was never the PG. He came in as a SG his first year and then moved to SF. I think the PG was Jeff McGinnis and I think either Cleaves (think that was his last name) and Kevin Olly (or Ollie).
I agree Irving could easily be a SG and indeed would probably be better there.
If it’s Cousins and something else I would like to see the something be Dante Cunningham. He hit 39% from 3 last year and that was the weakest part of his game previously.
I see James was listed as a SG in ’03’04 but he was advertised as the new PG and players were traded around him. It was quite a jump because he was always a forward in HS and he went back there the next year. To forward I mean.
James stays in the East no matter what. Easiest shot at finals with the West stacked. No one here has mentioned the up and if healthy Sixers. They sign James and the parade comes down Broad Street.
Kyrie is going to be a Knick. I agree but Knicks, like all NY teams, will continue to say…next year.
Rockets for Anderson and so on if they can’t get Melo?
Thunder for Kenter,Roberson and so on?
Thanks for the laugh
Only if and so on is unprotected picks in alternating years with pick swaps in between until 2030…
Those are both terrible offers
I don’t think Cleveland wants draft picks at this point they are in win now mode and need pro level players.
Please TWolves make this happen. A package of Deing, Tyus Jones and Bjelica would work salary wise! I do ultimately feel though that the knocks will make it happen somehow to get LeBron and Carmelo together
It’s probably gonna have to start with Wiggins honestly. I believe Teague and Irving could play on the same floor and mesh well together.
Why would the Cavs want that package? Please keep in mind the Cavs do NOT have to trade Kyrie and he does NOT have a no-trade which means their options are not limited to the list he provided. Cavs are going to want a established star, recently drafted lottery picks and/or future 1st rnds that will likely be top 7 picks. They are in the driver seat here.
You couldn’t trade those guys for a McChicken, let alone Kyrie Irving
Probably a medium fries and a drink though.
The right way ist easy Kyrie go to the Suns and make future !!!!
I think this is the one that makes the most sense to me. Don’t forget that’s where Champ is now. And the Suns have PGs out the yingyang.
Kyrie and LeBron aren’t going anywhere.
Maybe K.Love. The east is to easy.
Lmao the Warriors finally broke the Cavs. Goodnight, NBA. Dubs taking the next three titles, minimum.
Why do the knicks have to mortgage their future to get kyrie? Just because he included the knicks on his list doesn’t mean the knicks have to bend over backwards to make it happen. To give up melo and picks and players to the cavs??? That’s just nuts. The knicks are in the drivers seat, not the other way around. The cavs are in a bad spot. They don’t have any good pics coming up they really don’t have any tradable assets their number two player wants to leave and they still have to make LeBron happy
Actually they do have to bend over backward if they want him, because Kyrie doesn’t have a no trade clause and because he’s under contract for a few more seasons. If the Knicks don’t make an incredible offer, they’re not getting him. You have to give value to get value.
You’re missing my point. Then they simply don’t get him, there’s no loss to the Knicks. The Cavs have to do something the knicks don’t. if you don’t understand that then please don’t comment
The Cavs are 3-time finalists and have lost nobody, so I don’t see the bad spot or why the Knicks are in any kind of driver’s seat. I guess that yes, if no movement on the Irving/Melo front is no loss for the Knicks, then good for the Knicks, because Irving&Frye for Melo isn’t happening. Weakening two positions to boost the forward position? No
Three team deal
Cavs get Melo, O’Quinn & Bledsoe and and a 1st Rd pick from Phoenix
Suns get Rose,Lee, Love
Knicks Get Kyrie, Dudley, Len
And Phoenix gets Frye
Rose and Len are FAs
Sign and Trade