The NBA Owes Kyrie Irving a Thank You
Just as this hot NBA summer was starting to cool down, Kyrie Irving looked Dan Gilbert dead in the eyes and said “Hold my beer!”
The NBA summer started with an above average free agency frenzy, and was followed by a potentially star-studded draft. Which set the stage for a great summer league; with Lonzo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr. and Dejounte Murray making headlines. After the summer league championship was won by the Los Angeles Lakers and most of the big name free agents had already signed; it seemed as if it was finally time for most sports fans to move on to football season.
But, out of the clouds like a Randy Orton RKO, Kyrie Irving dropped a North Korean nuclear warhead on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the rest of the NBA, cranking the thermostat to record high levels for NBA interest and allowing hot-take factories such as Stephen A. Smith no days off. As many media members have noted, the NBA has finally become a year-round sports topic, and just as it looked certain the NFL would return to the forefront, Kyrie happened.
This is the greatest possible thing that could have happened to the NBA if you are Adam Silver. Anything LeBron related gets huge coverage, but someone wanting to leave LeBron, instead of join him!? Absurd! I have no proof of this, but I guarantee the ESPN trade machine numbers are wayyy up (Drake reference).
With LeBron not denying the rumors that he is leaving next year, this leaves endless room for debate and an alibi for Kyrie to leave. Does this mean LeBron is for sure leaving next year? Should the Cavs tell Kyrie that they will not re-sign LeBron next year and try to keep Kyrie? Should the Cavs trade Kyrie for players that can win now, or blow this team up for younger talent and picks? Will LeBron waive his no trade clause if they blow the team up? What if the Cavs just straight up refuse to trade Kyrie?
None of these questions can be answered immediately (or potentially ever), but sports media will attempt to answer them anyways; and for that the NBA owes Kyrie Irving a big “thank you.”
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