This Cavs squad was captained by James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving. Irving’s trade request in the summer of 2017 did not make a great deal of sense from a team viewpoint. Why would he want to quit a consistent contender for the title to go it alone?
On the most recent edition of the “I am Athlete” podcast, Irving said that it was more about his personal concerns at the time, rather than basketball, and that he now knows how to cope with what he was feeling.
“If I had the same level of maturity and awareness of who I am [now], and I look back, we would have won more championships,” said Irving. “Because LeBron would have had a greater man-to-man knowledge of what I’m experiencing. I was unable to express my emotions. I had no idea how to accomplish it. Instead of sharing, I chose to be alone.” Irving stated that he regretted not contacting LeBron during the time LeBron requested the trade.
