Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Kyrie says LeBron not a concern
New Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving appeared on ESPN’s First Take on Monday morning, and after a good deal of blah-blah-blahing from hosts Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, Irving actually had something interesting to say.
Irving, an All-Star who was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason, spent the majority of his 90 minutes on the show answering questions cryptically about his reasons for leaving the Cavs and wanting to sever his relationship with LeBron James.
Inquiries about his trade request, reports he wanted out from LeBron’s shadow, and the leaguewide drama that ensued were met with responses along these lines from Irving: “I don’t really have an ego. I have a presence and aura about me that’s very reality-based,” and, “Oh, if you’re very much woke, there’s no such thing as distractions, especially all this.”
But Irving was very clear during one line of questioning.
Smith: “Did you speak to LeBron James before you and your representatives met with ownership and let them know that you wanted out?”
Irving: “No.”
Smith: “Why not?”
Irving: “Why would I have to?” Smith: “If you don’t speak to somebody about that, they might take it personally.”
Irving: “Yeah.”
Smith: “Do you care about that at all?”
Irving: “No.”
Irving elaborated:
“I think we’re forgetting one important thing. I don’t think that you owe anything to another person in terms of figuring out what you want to do with your life. It’s not anything personal. I’m not trying to tirade anybody. I’m not here to go at any particular person or the organization, because I have nothing but love for Cleveland.
“There comes a time where you mature as an individual. It’s time to make that decision, and there is no looking back from that standpoint. There is no time to figure out how to save someone’s feelings when ultimately you have to be selfish in figuring out what you want to do. It wasn’t about me not wanting to win. It wasn’t anything about that. It was, ‘I want to be extremely, extremely happy in perfecting my craft,’ and that was the only intent in all of this.”
Reading between the tea leaves, it seems Irving’s primary reason for wanting out was to realize his full potential as a player, something he can’t do on a LeBron-led roster. Twice Irving expressed enthusiasm for being more of the complete pick-and-roll playmaker that Boston is asking him to be instead of the isolation-heavy scoring option that Cleveland wanted him to be.
Asked what he was most excited about in transitioning from the Cavaliers to the Celtics, he said: “Actually playing point guard.”
One thing is certain: Celtics vs. Cavaliers is must-see TV in the upcoming season.