Nearly three months later, we’re still piecing together the Kyrie Irving saga.
David Griffin wasn’t the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager when they traded Irving to the Boston Celtics this past offseason. However, Griffin was with the organization from before Irving was drafted first overall in 2011 until just days before the 2017 NBA Draft, so the former Cavs GM certainly knows a thing or two about the point guard’s tenure in Cleveland and how he evolved over time.
Griffin, who left Cleveland’s front office in June, recently appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio and discussed Irving, who was traded to Boston in August. According to Griffin, Irving didn’t request a trade during his stint as Cavs GM. But Griffin admits he would have traded Irving if the four-time All-Star had made that request, as there’s no sense in keeping a player who doesn’t want to be around.
Koby Altman, who previously served as Cleveland’s assistant general manager, eventually took over the Cavs GM position that Griffin vacated and traded Irving to the Celtics for a package that included Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round draft pick and the Miami Heat’s 2020 second-round pick.
