Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving Never Wanted LeBron James Back in Cleveland

Last summer, it was reported that Kyrie Irving wants to be the “focal point” of an NBA offense and has requested a trade to leave Cleveland.

Then, on August 22, 2017, Irving was traded to the Boston Cetlics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a draft pick. Many outlets reported that LeBron James wasn’t happy about how Irving had forced his trade, and the two actually didn’t speak for a long time. Both sides even threw a little shade at the other party. But now, the two are on better terms again.

But during a roundtable discussion featuring Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com and Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, we found out that the relationship between Kyrie and LeBron was a rocky one from the get-go, at least from Irving’s side.

When James played for the Heat, Irving never wanted LeBron to come back to Cleveland in the first place.

Lloyd: “It has been made clear to me by multiple people, Kyrie never really wanted LeBron to come back (to Cleveland) in the first place. He didn’t think it was necessary. LeBron said something to Kyrie on the court following a game when he was with Miami something to the effect of, ‘Keep going, keep doing what you’re doing. You never know, I could be back here one day.’ And Kyrie basically said, ‘What’s he talking about, we don’t need him.'”

McMenamin: “Kyrie and his camp considered asking for a trade after the championship. They decided to keep it in house and not go forward with it, but it was something they discussed.”