LeBron James and Tyronn Lue reportedly didn't want to do the Kyrie Irving trade that has turned into a disaster for the Cavs

Scott Davis

May 16, 2018, 22:02 IST

LeBron James and Tyronn Lue reportedly didn't want to do the Kyrie Irving trade that has turned into a disaster for the Cavs

Maddie Meyer/Getty

The Cleveland Cavaliers' two losses to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals have shown how badly the team misses Kyrie Irving.
It was reported on Tuesday that LeBron James and head coach Tyronn Lue were both against trading Irving, but management felt the relationship was irreparable.
As the Cavs face the possibility of elimination against the Celtics, it raises further questions about their future, and the missed opportunity to rebuild around a young, talented point guard in Irving in the event James leaves this summer.

LeBron James is in a position he hasn't faced in the Eastern Conference since 2008.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 107-94, to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, and James and the Cavs are now in a 0-2 hole as they return to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4. The last time James faced a 0-2 deficit in the Eastern Conference playoffs - 2008, against the Celtics.

Game 2 was reflective of the Cavs' problems this postseason. James came out with a head full of steam, scoring 21 points in the opening quarter. But after taking a shot to the head in the second quarter - for which he momentarily had to leave the game - James never looked the same, and the Cavs couldn't generate any offense without him barreling into the lane or hitting shots from difficult angles.

Though Kevin Love pitched in 22 points on 50% shooting, the issue once again became James' lack of help on the Cavs squad. It often looked as though James was going 1-on-5 against the Celtics.

The Cavs' struggles have only shone a brighter light on the decision to trade Kyrie Irving last summer - a common theme this season.

The Cavs haven't gotten anything from the Kyrie trade.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that both LeBron James and head coach Tyronn Lue were against trading Irving when he asked for a trade. Irving still had two years left on his deal, meaning the Cavs were not against the wall. Management, however, decided to move on, feeling the relationship was irreparable.

There have been stages of the Cavs since that deal. They got Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick in the draft back for Irving. As the Cavs fell apart midseason, they shipped out Thomas and Crowder for Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and Rodney Hood. And on Tuesday, the Cavs got the eighth pick (as expected) in the draft lottery.

When the Cavs blew up their team in February, many (including this writer) felt optimistic about the new pieces - the Cavs got younger, longer, more explosive. Thomas had not recovered from his hip injury (he never did, opting for surgery at the end of the season), and Crowder could not adjust to the Cavs' system.

Through 13 playoff games, the Cavs' new pieces have given them virtually nothing. As The Athletic's Jason Lloyd noted, in last year's playoffs, Irving was a +124 - the amount by which the Cavs outscored opponents when he was on the floor. The combination of Hood, Clarkson, and Nance are -164 this postseason. That's a 288-point swing between last year's Cavs with Irving and his replacements on this year's squad.

Irving wasn't a perfect player, and the Cavs usually still struggled when he played without James on the floor. But Irving brings a skill that's crucial in the playoffs - isolation scoring. Irving bailed out the Cavs numerous times during his playoffs career, even taking the reins from James at times to carry the offense.

In last year's Eastern Conference Finals (against a very different Celtics team), Irving averaged 25.8 points per game on 62% shooting. In Game 4, with the Celtics threatening to tie the series and James having a rare off-night, Irving took over, scoring 42 points and a hitting a variety of difficult shots.

Suffice to say the Cavs are not getting that kind of production from anyone else.

According to Lloyd, during the regular season, as the Cavs imploded, one player told him, "Danny Ainge is a f------thief" - a reference to the Celtics GM who pulled off the Irving trade.

The centerpiece of the Irving trade was always the Nets pick, and there was hope that Thomas, at full health, could provide some individual scoring, while Crowder could give a "3-and-D" presence.

That plan fell apart, and now the only intriguing return from the Irving deal is the No. 8 pick - a good pick in a deep draft, but one perhaps a bit too far down to acquire a generational talent like Irving.

It wasn't a matter of merely keeping Irving and moving on. Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reported during the season that Irving threatened to get knee surgery this season if the Cavs didn't trade him. Irving ultimately had to get knee surgery and has been out for the entirety of the playoffs.

It's unclear from whom James will get more help as this series continues. James could very well power them to four wins in the next five games to make a fourth straight Finals. But it's clear they'll have to get more super-human efforts from him to get there.

After that, the summer only leads to more questions. The Cavs have a bloated payroll and few assets to get another star. James hasn't been one to get excited about playing next to rookies. In trading Irving, they lost their building block in the event James leaves in free agency this summer.

The further away we get, the more the Irving trade looks like a watershed moment for the Eastern Conference.