With the 2014 NBA Draft behind them, the Cleveland Cavaliers main focus now shifts to Kyrie Irving. The point guard's future with the team is officially up in the air as the team prepares to offer him a max contract in hopes of retaining Irving for the long-term. There is plenty of doubt regarding whether Irving intends to sign that deal or not, meaning a trade could be the final answer.
After much debate, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com is reporting that the Cavaliers will offer Irving a five-year, $90 million contract extension at the start of NBA offseason. There has been a lot of rumors noting that the Cavaliers might not offer Irving the extension for fear that he would reject them. However, now Cleveland is confident they can retain Irving for the long-term instead of seeing the point guard opt out and become a free agent sooner than expected.
According to Pluto, the Cavaliers are "all in" on Irving and his future despite recent reports. General manager David Griffin is fully invested in Irving and believes he can help turn the franchise around. There is still a chance that Irving could turn it down and become a restricted free agent in 2015 and an unrestricted free agent in 2016. He would be leaving a significant amount of money on the table if that is the decision he makes. If Irving denies the deal, the Cavaliers will trade him.
A trade for Irving would get messy and be a long process. The Kevin Love trade rumors are likely what would happen with Irving since it is hard to determine the exact return value for the point guard. The Cavaliers would likely not get anything that comes close to his worth on a team, something the Minnesota Timberwolves are realizing.
The Cavaliers are hoping they make the moves to win over Irving. First the team drafted Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 overall pick. Cleveland is hoping he can develop into the talent of LeBron James or at least recruit the forward in free agency. Owner Dan Gilbert remains firm in his pursuit of Cleveland's hometown hero. Wiggins said on draft day that he would love for James to come to Cleveland and win. That remains to be seen.
The Cavaliers' future hinges on Irving. If the point guard turns down the contract, no one signs to the team. If Irving opts for the long-term option, the Cavaliers have a shot at some big names. That likely does not include James, but there is hope it might include a few others.
