I think many like the idea of players having the power to dictate where they work…until they actually use it. Irving actually doesn’t have that power at the moment, which is why he has to request a trade. He’s two years away from being able to walk, or a year if he openly states he won’t re-sign, which means the team would HAVE to trade him to get assets in return. I think Irving is getting push-back because he wants out for supposedly selfish reasons — he wants to be the man somewhere, even if they don’t win. Once a player has a ring, their thinking changes. He may have been willing to play subordinate to LeBron until they won a title. Now he doesn’t feel he should have to anymore. While I think he should have more appreciation for who he’s ballin’ with right now, I admire his willingness to put himself out on the limb and accept the outcome.
