“It was my decision”: Kyrie Irving clarifies LeBron James’ stance on Cavs exit in honest confession

Kyrie Irving stunned the basketball world when he requested a trade in 2017 to move out of the shadows of former teammate LeBron James. NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported in July that year that Irving no longer wanted to play Robin to James’ Batman. The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to the request, sending the point guard to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and a first-round pick.

On Wednesday, via his Twitch channel, the Dallas Mavericks star clarified the reason he wanted out of Cleveland:

“I love Cleveland. I’m appreciative of all the things that they’ve done for me. … It’s not that I disliked playing with Bron [James] at any time, it was just literally my time to move on, and that’s what people gotta accept. It was my decision.”

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The Cavaliers were coming off their fourth straight NBA finals appearance in June 2017. Roughly a month later, Kyrie Irving asked GM Koby Altman to trade him. According to Windhorst, the New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves were Irving’s preferred destinations.

LeBron James said ahead of the Cavaliers’ training camp in September 2017 that he did everything he could “to help the kid.” The NBA superstar added that he would have given Irving the “keys” of the franchise when the veteran knew his former teammate was ready.

Kyrie Irving refused to comment on what James said during his introductory conference with the Boston Celtics. The mercurial point guard continued that if that conversation ever happened, it should have been between him and James.

Eight years after forcing his way out of Cleveland, Irving finally opened up about the decision that stunned the NBA.

Kyrie Irving once said he and LeBron James would have won more championships together

Kyrie Irving left the Cleveland Cavaliers one year after helping LeBron James bring the franchise its first championship. Irving’s departure left many to wonder if the Cavs would have had more success had the point guard stayed.

In the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast in May 2022, Irving answered those speculations:

"If I was in the same maturity line and understanding of who I am [now], and I look back, we definitely, definitely would've won more championships.”

Irving added that a better understanding between him and LeBron James would have been the ideal scenario. Instead, the former Duke superstar continued that he isolated himself from James and his other former teammates.

The Dallas Mavericks star was spot on with his comments. Since leaving Cleveland, Kyrie Irving has struggled to find postseason success without James. Irving reached the NBA Finals in 2024 but lost, coincidentally, to the Boston Celtics in five games.

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About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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