Where Did It All Go Wrong for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Did Kyrie Irving see this train coming down the tracks, or was he the one driving it?

Irving’s surprising midsummer trade demands in 2017 were rife with issues surrounding the shadow cast by LeBron James. Midday Sunday, less than a year after the All-Star point guard forced his way to a storied franchise in Boston, James announced his decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavaliers have gone from NBA champions to question marks over the span of two roller-coaster seasons.

While the Cavaliers were one of just three teams to have any communication with James during his free-agency period, reports that followed his announcement suggest it was not much of a decision at all. The press release was simply waiting for James’ green light. He had a three-slide Instagram story ready to thank Northeast Ohio in the wake of the news.nfl jerseys wholesale cheap

When James left Cleveland for Miami in 2010, it was clear he was headed for greener pastures. In the 2014 Sports Illustrated essay that marked his return to Cleveland, James admitted as much, saying he was on a championship-seeking mission. He reaffirmed these beliefs during the 2018 NBA Finals when he said, “My first stint here, I just didn’t have the level of talent to compete versus the best teams in the NBA.”

In his return to Cleveland, James reached the NBA Finals in four consecutive seasons, despite an imperfect cast of teammates. He could arguably keep competing for titles more easily in Cleveland than in L.A., considering the Western Conference is stacked and his teammates will be young and inexperienced. But that’s irrelevant now, as James’ desire for a partnership with Magic Johnson and the Lakers won out over staying home or forcing his way to a more talented team, like the Houston Rockets or Philadelphia 76ers.authentic nfl jerseys cheap wholesale

So if it wasn’t about a ready-made roster in need of a final piece, or finishing out his career just miles away from Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, what was it about? And where did it all go wrong for a player who said Cleveland would be his final stop?nfl jersey cheap wholesale china

According to recent reports from ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne, the Cavaliers would have been willing to include a first-round draft pick in the deal, had James been willing to commit to playing in Cleveland beyond 2017-18. When James wouldn’t commit, the Cavs withdrew the first-round pick and George was sent to Oklahoma City.cheap nfl wholesale jerseys

Griff was relieved of his duties shortly thereafter, and the team went without a general manager during the NBA draft, the start of free agency and summer league. Irving reportedly sought someone with whom to discuss his unhappiness, but it was not be until a mid-summer meeting with Dan Gilbert that his trade demands became publicly known.

By this point, the relationship with Irving was so fractured that the guard, according to Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon, was willing to undergo knee surgery and sit out the season if he were not granted his wish to be traded out of Cleveland.