Pipp wanted a trade because of LOL-Bulls management -- not because he didn't like Jordan. It's a different situation.

He thinks he would - most NBA players are delusional about their actual skill level and no doubt Kyrie thinks he is significantly better than he actually is.

He was also reportedly jealous of Wall and Dame because they are the stars of middling playoff teams. Meanwhile those guys would probably give anything to be making the Finals every year.

It's not even like Irving is Love. He has a higher usage than Lebron and got ultra high leverage shots the last 2 years. LeBron has purposefully involved him and let him be Kyrie on the court - that's not debatable. Kyrie just doesn't want to share the spotlight and would rather be Wall and lose in the 1st/2nd round as the man.

That's a good point ... it's possible (Irving's camp thinks so) that LeBron actually leaked the trade demand.

wat? kevin love never "almost left". #fakenews

Love "almost left", Kyrie "mamba mentality" Irving is not leaving to be #1. lots of hot takes

The Cavs were 1 game away from winning the championship & offered him $100M.

Still ... it took meeting with LeBron to "talk everything out" for Love to make his final decision to re-sign with Cleveland. I'll admit "almost left" wasn't correct word choice -- but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

If you're leaving, solely, to be the undisputed #1 -- why pick teams with 3 of the top 15 players in the league?

Logic = Hot take itt

He also picked NY as his first preferred. He has real estate there and home is NJ.

Nice logic.

1 game away?

Talking to the leader of the team before resigning. A guy who was a free agent. Making sure they are on the same page. Crazy.

Those players won't still be on the team once Kyrie got there, a trade would be involved.

Spurs aren't giving up Kawhi.

Timberwolves aren't giving up Butler or Towns.

Haha. Kyrie didn't say he didn't want to play with other stars. He said he doesn't want to play with leloser (according to reports). He's fine teaming up with other superstars like kawhi and KAT.

Funny how it's made 100% clear to leave no ambiguity as far as who is at fault. Yet you still find a way to allieviate blame from a pathetic excuse of a human being because REASONS.

So being the undisputed #1 isn't the only factor? Glad you agree with me.

none of the top teams will trade for him. sooo... its just smoke,

LeBron & Love disputes were pretty well reported that first year. Sure, some of it was probably sensationalized, but I'm not sure why you guys keep acting like they were completely normal, happy teammates.

Of course they don't have to be best friends -- and Love, actually, went out of his way to tell everyone "it's not like we're best friends." Have you ever used that phase before? If so, think about your relationship with that person and why you said it. Again, it's not a ringing endorsement.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....james_wer.html

Who knows.

Teague & Wiggins sounds pretty even.

3 team deal with Melo + Player X going to the Cavs could maybe work.

Can't really see him going to the Spurs, tho.

I didn't interpret it that way. I think if you swap Lebron for Harden, he does the same thing probably. Kawhi is obviously much better than Kyrie, but he's more known for his defensive skills and is ridiculously quiet so much different than a LeBron. Towns isn't seen as at Kyrie's level yet by most and he's still really young. Plus in Kyrie's mind he probably thinks he's a top 5 player itl.

I acknowledge Kyrie's POV (Lebron can definitely be annoying) but putting 100% of the blame on Lebron is absurd....again, I think LeBron has gone out of his way to make sure Kyrie gets his and Kyrie has had the ball in his hands in the highest leverage spots in the last 2 NBA Finals.

Maybe because Kyrie is a bottom 10 IQ in the league guy.

you are out of your ****ing mind if you don't think Kyrie believes he's better than Kawhi and lolTowns

I mean, kyrie thinks hes better than lebron ffs

You guys don't understand- only very little of why Kyrie wants out is due to on the court.

It's what happens off the court.

When cavs lose- Lebron throws his teammates under the bus. Passive aggressively calling out his teammates. Passive aggressively whines to the GM through the media.

When cavs win - it's all about Lebron.

Who WOULD want to play with a teammate like that?

CP3 doesn't.

Carmelo doesn't.

next time you talk to your personal friend Kyrie, tell him to look out of an airplane window

Can't speculate on if LeBron is passive aggressive toward his teammates (as evidenced by social media posts and nba beat writers) but can speculate on Kyrie's personal thoughts on whether he's better than LeBron and Kawhi, got it.

woj, who broke the news and had sources on Kyrie's camp, says him leaving has a lot more to do with the Cavs front office being a dumpster fire, but sure, we can pretend to know wtf is going on if it fits our narrative.
I'm sure he and Lebron aren't big buddies, it's likely gotten a lot worse since Kyrie asked to be traded (which btw, Woj believes did catch Lebron by surprise, just not when the news was released)

And Woj is notoriously anti-LeBron, so if there was a negative spin to any news, you know he wouldn't be one to hold it back.

I don't think Kyrie thinks he's "better" than Lebron fwiw, just that he doesn't wanna be LeBron's little brother on the Cavs and not get treated by the org like Lebron does (that touches on the Cavs org being trash too). The news about him being "jealous" of Wall/Dame org treatment was telling.