The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most talked about teams in the NBA this offseason and it’s not because of the stellar on-court play they put on display this past season. Instead, controversy has surrounded both of their superstars in Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, leaving the future in Cleveland murkier than ever.
Irving first requested a trade off the Cavs due to no longer being interested in playing sidekick to James which reportedly created friction between the two. Since then, rumors have surfaced about James potentially departing once he becomes a free agent next summer and an Irving trade seems to still be on the horizon.
With this chaos currently ensuing, James and Irving took some time out of their schedules to meet recently in Miami, Florida according to Tony Rizzo of ESPN Cleveland (h/t to Jackson Flickinger of King James Gospel):
“From very reliable sources. Plural. Kyrie and LeBron were in the same room over the weekend in Florida…Apparently these guys were in the same room and here’s the deal. I don’t know if there’s a thawing out process. All I do know is LeBron didn’t punch Kyrie the way Stephen A thought he would. I can report that. As for what they talked about or discussed…it was very cool. They didn’t get into any heated discussions.”
Amidst the apparently uneasy relationship between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, this ‘meeting’ is a good sign and a major step in the right direction. With the offseason winding down, the two may have to face the reality that they will remain teammates and need to try and make the best out of what is a peculiar situation.
Mending the publicly damaged relationship between Irving and James would be the first step towards things getting back to normal in Cleveland which may not even happen anytime soon, especially if Irving is dealt.
