When LeBron James left Cleveland, it was a big blow to the city and the franchise. The Cavaliers have not been back to the playoffs since their hometown hero took his talents to South Beach. However, the arrival of Kyrie Irving sparked some hope back into the fanbase, believing he might be the second-coming of James. However, currently in the midst of a disappearing act, Irving is reportedly wanting out of Cleveland.
ESPN's Chad Ford reported during his weekly chat with fans that Irving is privately telling people that he is not happy in Cleveland and wants out as soon as possible. Ford notes that general manager Chris Grant is under pressure to please the franchise star and so far nothing is working. Essentially, Irving is not happy losing, which is what the Cavaliers are doing right now.
Grant recently spoke out on the downfall of the team, ripping the effort on the court. Right now, Cleveland is 16-29 in a season they were hoping to end their playoff streak and make it into the Eastern Conference race. Grant is putting blame on the players, which likely is not helping his relationship with Irving if Ford is accurate in his statements.
"We're all accountable for it, including myself," Grant said, via ESPN.com. "It's frustrating. It's disappointing to our fans. The fans deserve better. The lack of effort is just not acceptable. It's not who we are and who we want to be. It's got to be addressed head on. There's no excuse for that, but we've seen our guys compete and execute consistently, and that's really what we've got to do a better job of."
Grant noted that the team will likely look into making more moves before the NBA trade deadline. The team already sent Andrew Bynum packing after reported locker room issues and acquired Luol Deng in the process. However, the trade has yet to pay off. Any moves made will likely center around building a foundation with Irving.
So contractually speaking, when could Irving get the departure he wants? The star still has one year remaining on his rookie contract. He would be a restricted free agent and either could be forced to sign a long-term deal or a qualifying offer. He would then be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. A long-term contract would certainly make him the most money, but according to the Akron Beacon Journal, the Cavaliers have yet to determine whether Irving has earned a max contract this offseason.
Irving's stats are down this season. He is averaging less point per game while increasing his assists and lowering his turnovers. However, Irving's impact on the court is down from last season. Will Irving eventually leave the Cavaliers? Cleveland does not intend on letting that happen, but the storyline could get interesting come the offseason.
