LeBron James’ innate ability to lead and be a mentor for young players could wind up coming back to bite him.
James played an important part in the growth of Kyrie Irving on the basketball court, which was manifested in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship run two seasons ago. Now 25 years old, Irving is progressing into his prime, but King James and the Cavs won’t be the beneficiaries of the star point guard’s talent.
After six seasons with the Cavs, Irving was dealt to the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade Aug. 22. While a superstar being traded always is intriguing, Irving’s deal was even more so considering Cleveland and Boston are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs can make do without Irving on their roster, but James understands the significance of trading the four-time All-Star to one of Cleveland’s toughest rivals.
“I tried to give him everything and as much of the DNA as I could,” James said, per NBA TV. “At some point, when he was ready to take over the keys, I was ready to give them to him. The only thing I’m upset about is that he took a lot of the DNA and blueprints to Boston. … I tried to do everything I could to help the kid be as great as he could be or as great as he wanted to be.”
Irving reportedly wanted out of Cleveland because he was tired of playing in James’ shadow and wanted to be the true face of a franchise. We’ll have to wait and see if Irving rises to the occasion in his first season with the C’s.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
