Thoughts On David Griffin and Kyrie

Things I noticed while watching David Griffin’s appearance on ESPN’s The Jump Monday afternoon…

Griffin quickly noted that he expected Kyrie Irving to be traded and that it’s best for both parties to move on, particularly if Kyrie isn’t 100% invested in the team. While Irving’s trade request was made after Griffin left the Cavaliers, Griffin likely knows far more than we do. After all, it’s no secret that Griffin spent a significant amount of time managing the egos of his players, particularly the big three. Considering Brian Windhorst’s report that Irving considered asking for a trade after the Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Title, this was likely no surprise to Griffin at all.

Many were surprised by Griffin saying that Irving handled the trade request “exactly like he was supposed to”, but in terms of making a trade request, that is true. Irving didn’t make the request through the media, didn’t do it during training camp or the regular season, and didn’t come to training camp with an attitude that could ruin the Cavaliers’ entire season. He went to the owner and made his request in private. In fact, the only complaint Cavs fans could have in terms of how he handled the request was that he didn’t do it before the NBA Draft or the start of free agency.

Less surprising was Griffin taking the middle road between Irving and the Cavaliers. Anyone who has heard him speak at length to the media knows that Griffin isn’t the type to put down others publicly. He pointed out that Irving didn’t really expect himself to carry the team when James didn’t play, and that Irving seems to want a team with a strong coach, but that was as far as he went in giving his personal opinion. Griffin also is unlikely to say anything that would jeopardize his chance of running another team some day. Most of us would be the same way.

Obviously, what Cavalier fans take issue with is that Irving requested a trade from the defending Eastern Conference Champions in the first place. As Griffin pointed out, Irving wants to see how good he can be, to test his limits. That likely means finding a team where he can be the offensive focal point. Ironically, he still wouldn’t be that focal point on three of the teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks) that he expressed interest in joining. The only team that would likely be the case with is the Miami Heat, although with the Knicks anything can happen.

On the topic of teams Irving prefers, it was interesting to hear Griffin mention the Boston Celtics several times. The Celtics weren’t on the list we’ve heard so many times before, but they do fit the profile of a team with a strong coach and other young players, something Irving seems to prefer from teams outside of the Knicks, who play fairly close to his childhood home in West Orange, New Jersey. While the Celtics certainly could provide an intriguing combination of players and draft picks for Irving, it’s hard to see the two best teams in the Eastern Conference agreeing on a blockbuster trade with one another. It’s also debatable whether or not Irving would be the focal point over Gordon Hayward, but that is far more likely than the actual trade taking place.

This begs the question, what does Irving see as the point in playing this game? Is it to win titles? Is it to be the biggest star he can be? As Tim Bontemps pointed out, Irving is typically at his most impactful when he shares the court with James, however it seems that he wants to play for a team where the offense is built around him instead of James. It’s natural for a young and talented scorer such as Irving to wonder, particularly since he already has a championship. In many ways, that title gives Irving the clout to look at other priorities and options for his career. Wanting to branch out on his own doesn’t make Irving a bad guy, it does make him a normal 25 year old. What one has to wonder is, if he never comes close to winning another title, will Irving look back with regret at leaving the Cavaliers?

We won’t know the answer to that for many years, and considering his relationship with most of the media, it’s unlikely Irving will share those feelings with us. What does seem definite is this, whether it’s tomorrow, or months from now, Kyrie Irving’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers is likely coming to an end. Considering both the great career likely ahead of him, as well as the fact that he hit the shot that gave Cleveland it’s first major sports championship in 52 years, the memories he leaves are undoubtedly bittersweet. How it works out for all parties in the long run, we likely won’t know for years.