After spending three seasons in the shadow of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving has reportedly decided he’s tired of being the Robin to LeBron’s Batman and has requested a trade out of Cleveland, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
The request came last week when Irving told Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert he wants to play in a situation where he can be the go-to guy. Per Windhorst, the star point guard’s preferred destinations are the New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. Adrian Wojnarowski later added the 25-year-old would also prefer a trade to the San Antonio Spurs.
In light of the shocking announcement, Sportsbook has released a prop special on where Irving will play in the 2017-18 NBA campaign. The Cavaliers remain the +180 favorites, with the Suns (+250), Knicks (+500), Spurs (+600) and Timberwolves (+700) among the teams also available to wager on.
The news comes just days after Irving publicly stated the Cavs are in a “peculiar situation” right now. The offseason hasn’t been kind to fans of the wine and gold, as the franchise made headlines in June when the front office parted ways with general manager David Griffin after the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension. Griffin constructed Cleveland’s roster after James came back home from Miami, which culminated in three straight NBA Finals appearances, including a championship in 2016.
There truly is never a dull moment in the Association. Where do you think Irving will end up? Have your say in the comment section.