Kyrie Irving's Trade Probably Won't Impact LeBron's Future

Hey everyone, for Complex News, I’m Justin Block.
The NBA world is dealing with the fallout of Kyrie Irving’s sudden, but not unexpected,
trade from the Cavs to the Celtics on Tuesday night.
Kyrie’s officially out of Cleveland after making it clear that he didn’t want to be
LeBron’s second banana anymore.
For the superstar duo that’s made three straight NBA Finals together, it’s a shocking
breakup.
But even as Kyrie’s stardom and dynamite scoring moves on to Boston, we think the trade
won’t affect LeBron’s free agency decision next summer.
Now, a 33-year-old LeBron is fully expected to opt-out of his Cavs contract next season.
So far, all of the reporting and speculation points west, as in, LeBron’s looking to
take his up-and-coming business and media empire to the coast of Los Angeles, where
he already has an offseason home.
Plus, he’s gotta shoot Space Jam 2 before he gets too old.
LeBron’s a walking one-man-team, so convincing a motley crew of star players to join him
in Los Angeles of all places shouldn’t be difficult.
He did it in Cleveland, after all.
And so far, there are inklings that his departure is going to happen.
For one, LeBron, who’s now been to seven straight Finals and has won three titles and
four MVPs, says he has nothing left to prove in the league.
"Seriously, what else would I have [to do]?
I've won championships, I won my first one and I've won for my teammates, I came home
and won.
There isn't anything I have left to prove."
Read between the lines, and that also means he has nothing left to prove in his hometown
of Cleveland, where he came back to and won an NBA title for the sports-poor city.
And speaking of Cleveland and their Cavaliers, it’s apparent that LeBron is frustrated
with owner Dan Gilbert, who infamously wrote a burn letter to LeBron after he left Cleveland
the first time.
Gilbert's also fired LeBron’s front office ally in David Griffin, didn’t hire a replacement,
and because of that, they missed out on deals for stars like Jimmy Butler and Paul George.
According to NBA reporter Chris Sheridan, who had the LeBron homecoming scoop first,
LeBron’s relationship with Gilbert is a driving force away from the Cavs.
“NBA source said today: ‘This will be LeBron's final season in Cleveland.
He is 100 percent leaving.
Relationship with owners beyond repair.’”
Again, all signs right now point westward for LeBron, regardless of the Kyrie trade.
But how the Cavs perform in a post-Kyrie world could sway LeBron to stay put.
Coming over from the Celtics, Isaiah Thomas on a contract year should provide an offensive
punch, while powerful swingman Jae Crowder is the three-and-D wing player LeBron’s
always needed.
If those two can somehow help lift LeBron over the Warriors, that makes his decision
harder.
After all, no franchise star has ever left his team immediately after winning a title.
Would LeBron?
We’ll see next summer.
That's the news for now, but for more on the NBA, be sure to subscribe to Complex on YouTube
today.
For Complex News, I’m Justin Block.
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Kyrie Irving's Trade Probably Won't Impact LeBron's Future

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