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When a star player requests an exchange, it is generally assumed that he will get his wish, and that was initially the case when Kyrie Irving asked to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, according to Joe Vardon of Athletic, LeBron James – the most influential member of the Cavaliers at the time – did not want Irving to be traded, especially at his eventual landing place, the Boston Celtics. By Vardon, James told the organization not to conclude the deal.
"Everyone knows that when Kyrie was traded, it was the beginning of the end for everything.This is not a secret," said James, who is now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, in Vardon. "… You realize at this point, do not take anything from Koby because Koby (who had just been named GM), but by that time, you realize that Koby does is not the only one leading the team because (former general manager David Griffin) had done it, and that's why Griff was let rather go. "
Dan Gilbert, the owner of Altman and Cavs, was not listening and James apparently would not sign on again if the organization held him, which put the Cavaliers in an uncomfortable position. Cleveland tried to find a balance by acquiring Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder to try to compete with the present, as well as choosing the Brooklyn Nets from 2018 in Boston. But Thomas and Crowder both went to Cleveland, and none of them were part of the team when the playoffs ended.
In the end, exchanging Irving against the Celtics did not really hurt Cleveland's chances of reaching the final. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. In March, his knee surgery forced him to miss the playoffs.
But James and Cavaliers were swept in the final and obviously did not have the firepower to compete with the Golden State Warriors. Irving may not have crossed Cleveland, but he certainly could have helped make the show more competitive.
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