Irving's exit would kick-start Cavs' downfall
The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be teetering on the edge of an abyss, and there aren't many ways they can save themselves.
Just 13 months ago, Cleveland was the toast of the basketball universe. LeBron James had fulfilled his pledge to bring an NBA title - the city's first - to "The Land." It was the result of a historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors - a team that had won the championship a year prior and had gone on to post a record-breaking 73-win season - after trailing in the series 3-1. Jokes were made.
Now, the joke's on Cleveland.
The glow of the 2016 Larry O'Brien Trophy has been all but forgotten, replaced by the flashing lights and sirens of a team in crisis, warning that James' time in Cleveland is coming to an end.
After three straight Finals appearances, Kyrie Irving appears to want out. The four-time All-Star has reportedly asked the front office to trade him, the burden of playing in James' shadow evidently too much to handle.
According to sources, James was already concerned with how this offseason has unfolded, with the Warriors gearing up for a strong title defense and the runner-up Cavs making little progress toward mounting a serious challenge. The Irving defection would practically ensure James will decline his 2018-19 player option. And if he walks next summer for nothing, the Cavs face a decade-long reclamation project.
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The main issue with Irving's trade demand coming to light publicly is that it will make it impossible for the Cavs to get full value for the disgruntled point guard on the trade market. With Irving forcing the hand of owner Dan Gilbert and newly anointed general manager Koby Altman, the star scorer's prospective suitors can sit back and wait for the price to drop.
As currently constructed, the Cavaliers would need to wait until after the 2018-19 season to really start a tear-down, and there would still be some major obstacles to navigate.
In their effort to appease James, the Cavaliers have completely hamstrung their ability to add impact talent. Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and Kyle Korver - a collection of solid role players who were ultimately unsuccessful in this year's Finals - will make a combined $54.4 million next season. Even with Frye off the books next summer, that group will make $50.2 for 2018-19. Outside of the mid-level exception, there will be little to offer a veteran to entice them to play alongside whichever star remains in Cleveland.
James' presence for the 2017-18 season also ensures that the Cavs' 2018 first-round pick will be low, whether he leaves or not. Their 2019 first-round pick will go to Atlanta as part of the Korver trade; that pick is top-10 protected for 2019 and 2020, after which Cleveland will deliver a pair of second-round picks instead. Either way, the Cavaliers don't have a Celtics-like war chest of future draft assets to rely on.
If the Cavaliers aren't able to add anyone of immediate value via free agency or the draft anytime soon, what other option do they have? Their best opportunity to acquire an elite player requires parting with an elite player - LeBron, Irving, or Kevin Love. At this rate, neither Irving or Love will return 100 cents on the dollar.
And if the Cavs doubled down once more on their commitment to LeBron - say, by trading Kyrie to the Knicks for a package including James' close friend, Carmelo Anthony - they'd only be delaying the inevitable fall.
The Cavaliers must come to the conclusion that LeBron James is as good as gone. At this point, it doesn't really matter where he goes; through trial and error, it's clear that Cleveland no longer offers the best chance at winning another NBA championship.
The no-trade clause in James' contract means the uncomfortable conversation about trading him never needs to happen, unless the man himself wills it. Logistically, it makes more sense for King James to simply leave in summer 2018 rather than allow a midseason trade. That leaves the Cavs empty-handed.
Since Cleveland has now proven to be incapable of besting a healthy Warriors team led by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, it's probably best that the marriage between James and the Cavaliers comes to an end within the year anyway. The sooner Cleveland bottoms out, the sooner they can regain the flexibility to start climbing out of the pit.
And as Cleveland's fans struggle through the decade after James' final exit, at least they can look back fondly on the 2016 Finals as they make their slow ascent. Most teams don't even get that brief moment of greatness.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)