Report: Cavs want young star in Kyrie trade in case LeBron leaves
LeBron James made The Decision to leave Cleveland in 2010, and the Cavaliers know he could do it again.
Operating under the assumption their hometown hero won't be around in the future, the team will try to add a young star in a potential Kyrie Irving trade who will put them in position to succeed even if James bolts, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
James, who rejoined the team in 2014 after leading the Miami Heat to two championships, has a player option that would allow him to take his talents elsewhere following the upcoming campaign, and has been reluctant to commit long term.
As a result, instead of looking exclusively for veterans who can help the 32-year-old win now, the Cavs are focused on fetching a young player whom they can build around.
Wojnarowski's sources said Cleveland has its sights on Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Suns swingman Josh Jackson, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.
Related: Porzingis reportedly a primary target for Cavs in Irving talks
A deal for any of those players would likely signal a change of direction for the team, which has made three consecutive trips to The Finals. James fulfilled his promise by bringing the Cavs their first-ever NBA championship in 2016, ending the city's 52-year title drought.
The belief now is that James has done what he set out to do, and could embark on another journey. It's been rumored he could head to Los Angeles to play with one or more of his Banana Boat buddies.
The four-time league MVP averaged a career-high 8.7 assists per game last season to go with 26.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in his 14th campaign. He'll earn $33.3 million in 2017-18.