Former teammates Kyrie Irving (left) and LeBron James AFP/GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTO
Kyrie Irving and LeBron James will share the court on opening night of the 2017-2018 NBA regular season next month. But for the first time in a long time, it won’t be as teammates.
Irving recently demanded his way out of the Cleveland Cavaliers and got his wish when he was traded to the Boston Celtics.
Appearing on ESPN’s “First Take,” the 25-year-old guard confirmed that he did not speak with LeBron about his trade request, nor did he feel obligated to do so.
“Did you speak to LeBron James or talk to LeBron James before you and your representatives met with ownership before you let them know you wanted out?” host Stephen A. Smith candidly asked the four-time All-Star.
“No. Why would I have to?” Irving responded, prompting Smith to say that LeBron might have taken it personally.
Without mentioning his former teammate’s name, Irving calmly explained his side: “I don’t think you owe anything to another person in terms of figuring out what you want to do with your life.”
“And it’s not anything personal, I’m not here to tirade anybody, I’m not here to go at any particular person or the organization, because I have nothing but love for Cleveland. I have nothing but love for the times that I spent there. It’s nothing about that.”
After mostly keeping to himself since the trade went down, Irving further explained his motivations behind leaving Cleveland.
“It’s just there comes a time when you mature as an individual. It’s time to make that decision,” he shared.
“And there is no looking back from that standpoint. There is no time to figure out how to save someone’s feelings, when ultimately you have to be selfish in figuring out what you want to do. And it wasn’t about me not wanting to win. It wasn’t anything about that. I want to be extremely, extremely happy in perfecting my craft. And that was the only intent that I have in all of this.” Khristian Ibarrola /ra