ALL’S FORGIVEN?
Cavs leave door open to repair relationship
Cavs prez Gilbert leaves door open for Kyrie, who’s feuding with LeBron, to stay in Cleveland
WHILE not exactly giving off the impression of confidence in Kyrie Irving’s future with the Cavs, team owner Dan Gilbert seemed to leave the door open for a continued relationship with the star point guard.
In other words, he’s not going to negotiate with the Knicks – who are still a longshot to acquire Irving — or anybody else from a position of distress. Gilbert even referenced Kobe Bryant’s well-documented trade demand from the Lakers in 2007.
“He won two championships after that. Things happen and you never know,” Gilbert said. “I’m not saying that will happen here, but the possibility of things happening are wide. It’s not just one path.”
Asked later if he anticipates Irving’s attendance in training camp, Gilbert danced around before providing his most definitive comment on the subject.
“Right now Kyrie Irving is under contract with the Cavaliers for two or three years depending on the last year (which is a player option),” he said. “So as of right now, sure, we expect him to be in camp.”
These answers will probably be filed under, “What else was he supposed to say?” After all, the Cavs spent most of Wednesday’s press conference trying to portray prosperous stability while debunking “false narratives.” The media is always the easiest enemy. In reality, though, the Cavs are in a state of disarray with an uncertain future concerning both Irving and LeBron James. The former wants out now and the latter is a free agent next year reportedly keen on bolting Cleveland for the Lakers.
They also just hired a rookie GM in Koby Altman, a Brooklyn native who was promoted from the assistant position.
While both Gilbert and Altman declined to address any specifics concerning the meeting with Irving, the point guard reportedly listed the Knicks as one of his preferred trade destinations.
As the Daily News reported, a deal with the Knicks is unlikely at this juncture because, among other reasons, Carmelo Anthony is set on waiving his no-trade clause only for the Houston Rockets. The Knicks reportedly resisted offering Kristaps Porzingis in an Irving deal.
Irving, meanwhile, returned Wednesday from an overseas trip as a report surfaced about his hipster pastor, Carl Lentz, influencing the point guard’s decision to request a trade.
Not that it indicates anything about Irving’s next destination, but Lentz is a regular at Knicks games and close with assistant GM Allan Houston. However, a source told the Daily News that Lentz is not a fan of owner James Dolan, who once banned the pastor from being in the Knicks locker room, family room and team practices.
According to TMZ, Irving is an active member of Lentz’s Brooklyn-based Hillsong Church and consulted Lentz earlier this month about his discontent in Cleveland. Lentz did not encourage Irving to leave the Cavs, according to the report. Still, the report stated that Irving arrived at his decision following “long chats” with the 38-yearold pastor – similar to how Justin Bieber canceled his concert tour after consulting Lentz.
Lentz was especially close with Tyson Chandler when the center was on the Knicks for three seasons until 2014. He also has an avid follower in Bieber, who was baptized by Lentz in Chandler’s bathtub. Lentz is a former college basketball player and visually atypical pastor with multiple tattoos and a Mohawk-type haircut.
He became an influential voice to many NBA stars – most notably Kevin Durant – and is trusted by them, in part, because he asks for no compensation for his spiritual guidance.
“Really good guy,” an NBA executive said of Lentz. “He relates to the players and doesn’t want anything from him.”