Isn't it ironic?
All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving wants to escape the shadow of LeBron James, having requested to be traded from the Cavaliers back in July after three straight trips to the NBA Finals. However, James could ultimately play a major role in Irving's final destination, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
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When he informed Cleveland's front office of his desire to be dealt, Irving also reportedly submitted the Cavs' brass with a list of four preferred landing sports — the Timberwolves, Heat, Spurs and Knicks. Obviously, a move to San Antonio (61-21 last season), where he'd play under coach Gregg Popovich and alongside two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard, would (at least on paper) give Irving the best chance to contend for a title against next season. Irving also makes sense for the Spurs' future, as he is willing to commit to a long-term extension beyond the two years remaining on his current contract.
But if James, who becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, continues to hold a non-committal stance with the Cavs beyond 2017-18, any potential deal with the Spurs could be off.
As Wojnarowski noted, the Spurs have pieces like Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge and Danny Green to keep the Cavs, owners of the NBA's most expensive payroll, in pursuit of another trip to the NBA Finals amid an Eastern Conference that will feature a Celtics squad bolstered by the addition of Gordon Hayward. But staying in win-now mode presents a problem if James feels he is better off spending the rest of his career outside of the state of Ohio, and a trade with San Antonio could leave Cleveland stuck with pricey veterans and no building blocks for the future. As it stands, Cleveland must put its effort into pursuing trade partners that could offer a young star such as Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis or Suns rookie Josh Jackson in the event James takes his talents elsewhere when his contract expires.
As much as he wants to strike out on his own, Irving, like the rest of the Cavs organization, is at the King's mercy.