Ready for another Kyrie Irving trade-related story? As I finished up one article, I immediately started another about, you guessed it, Kyrie Irving’s potential exodus from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs are targeting the Phoenix Suns as a potential trade partner and while it is mutually understood that the Suns offer would start with Eric Bledsoe, not a bad haul for the Cavs, Cleveland apparently is intent on getting rookie Josh Jackson in the deal as well.
Once again, LeBron James is leading the charge and doing his part to help the Cavaliers. In this case he is helping them rid themselves of the “Kyrie Irving problem”.
ESPN’s Pablo Torres appeared on ESPN’s First Take (h/t SB Nation’s Carter Rodriguez) and commented on James’ efforts to pry Jackson away from the Suns in a potential Irving deal.
“LeBron James is doing some LeBron James offseason work. And my understanding is it’s not just Derrick Rose, it’s not just Eric Bledsoe. LeBron James happens to know a guy named James Jones . . . LeBron James is hustling behind the scenes, is my understanding, asking ‘Is Josh Jackson available for Kyrie Irving?’ And the answer back that I heard is ‘no, he is not.’ But LeBron James is hustling on behalf of the Cleveland Cavaliers, at least for this one year.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported James has been “communicative” with the team throughout this process but stated that James is “not inquiring about any players” in a potential Irving trade.
James clearly has his sights set on life without Kyrie Irving and is eyeing a major haul from the Suns in order to jettison his teammate and that haul includes the likes of Eric Bledsoe and Josh Jackson.
The Suns have been firm in their stance not to include Jackson in any deal and they would be wise to stick to an offer around any combination of Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler and draft picks.