Disgruntled star Kyrie Irving has reportedly asked for a trade out of Cleveland, a troubling scenario for the Cavaliers’ organization. In a press conference today announcing Koby Altman as the new general manager, team owner Dan Gilbert expressed his sentiment on the situation moving forward.
Despite the trade request, the Cavaliers appear to still view Irving as a core piece of the roster. That is not to say that the team will not look to trade Kyrie, but this coupled with the expectation that he will be at camp is puzzling. Pieces can still be “core” or integral if they bring back a competitive package. Here are Gilbert and Altman discussing how they heard about the trade request and their views on Irving.
"Kyrie is a tremendous player. He continues to be a core piece of who we are & what we do."
Cavs GM Koby Altman on Irving's trade request pic.twitter.com/R2vytewD2Z
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 26, 2017
It is natural to assume Irving will be at training camp because it would inappropriate to think otherwise. The Cavaliers appear to be taking their time and examining every possible avenue before dealing their second-best player.
