NBA Trade Rumors 2017: Kyrie Irving Wants Out of Cleveland; Find Out Why
Kyrie Irving has reportedly requested to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Recently, rumors have it that Irving forwarded a request to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert that said he wanted to be traded out of the team. Irving's appeal was reportedly rooted from the desire to play outside of LeBron James' shadow, according to ESPN.
The Cavaliers drafted Irving as the first overall pick in 2011, and he has played for the same team since.
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The report added that Irving's request had already been tackled in a meeting where the mentioned "preferred destination" was the San Antonio Spurs. But if that was not possible, going to the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, or Minnesota Timberwolves would also be fine with Irving.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler's recent trade deal might also be a reason why Minnesota is an option. A deal with the Knicks seems unlikely since they will not consider giving away Kristaps Porzingis. However, ESPN's unidentified source added that if it was going to be Carmelo Anthony and a future first-round pick on the table, then New York and Cleveland can keep the negotiations rolling.
When asked to comment on Irving's reported trade request, the player's agent, Jeff Wechsler, only confirmed that they did indeed have a meeting with the Cavs about Irving's future. He told ESPN: "Kyrie and I had a meeting with Cavs leadership where we discussed many different scenarios in reference to Kyrie and his future with the team."
It is understandable why no one from Irving's or the Cavaliers' camp could confirm the news since it might further affect the player's trade value, which could hurt both parties.
However, it can also be recalled that the 6-foot-3 point guard recently commented (via Sports Illustrated) that their team is in a "peculiar place" right now — a statement echoed by teammate Kevin Love.
The Cavaliers had a rough run for the 2016-17 championship title as they finished with only one win before rival Golden State Warriors was able to take home the trophy. Prior to the previous NBA Finals series, main players such as LeBron James were very vocal about the need to add more strong playmakers that can support him and Irving on the court. By the looks of it, the request might not have been granted yet.
Irving finished the 2016-17 NBA season averaging 25.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game.
