Cavaliers: The case for keeping Kyrie Irving over LeBron James

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to side with LeBron James, but perhaps, Kyrie Irving is the one they should focus on keeping happy.

Isn’t Kyrie Irving the player Cavs’ fans have been waiting for?

He’s the assassin who took the biggest shot in franchise history to give Cleveland its first championship in 52 years, not James.

Irving’s the one who committed long-term to the Cavaliers, which is something James never did. It was Kyrie who signed his max extension the second he was eligible to do so. He was willing to grow with this team, and he committed his future before knowing James was going to return.

Irving gets bashed for not winning anything before James arrived in town. That’s argument holds a little weight, but it shouldn’t be a major reason from making Irving your face of the franchise. Kyrie was 19, 20 and 21 during this first first three seasons with the Cavaliers. How many teenagers and early 20 somethings are leading their franchise on long marches through the playoffs.

Heck, Not even James could elevate the Cavs to playoff berth in the weak Eastern Conference during his first two seasons as a pro.

This post isn’t meant to come off as anti-LeBron. It’s not forgotten that James’ block on Andre Iguodala was just as important as Kyrie’s shot.

But James carries himself in a way where he’s always looking out for HIS best interest. As a fan, you should want to look out for your team’s interest. The Cavaliers are going to be around long after James is gone. The organization can either sink to basketball irrelevancy again, as it did when James departed the first time, or the franchise can be pro-active in its future.

This isn’t easy to write. LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, but he will turn 33 this December and he’s not giving the Cavs any idea of what his future might hold.

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One way or the other, it’d be a great help if LeBron would let the Cavs know which way he’s leaning. If he wants to stay, great. If he wants to leave, that’s fine too. Owner Dan Gilbert and GM Koby Altman can move forward making this a Kyrie-centric team, rather than giving Irving what’s leftover from the wreckage of another James free-agent departure.

The idealist in all of us should want James and Irving to patch things up and stick together, because together, they are a part of a very, very good basketball team.

Maybe it’s stupid to have fan loyalty in sports these days, but it would hard to show Irving the door. He committed to Cleveland before it became The Land.

He’s a superstar who may be the best around-the-basket finisher in the NBA and he’s just entering his prime.

Based off reports, James and his cloudy future with the Cavs are going to win out because that’s just the risk you take with him. You’re not going to trade LeBron James. It’d be stupid.

Next: Kyrie Snapchat post throws serious shade at LeBron

But with James unwilling to give any idea of what his future holds, there’s a case to be made for building around Kyrie, because he’s deserving of being the focal point.

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