(BLEACHERREPORT)It's all eyes on Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers during a time of year when the rumor mill typically tapers off...
But sometimes it's impossible to understand when the calm of storm takes place—until the storm arrives.
Such is the case right now, with Irving rocking the NBA and one of its only superteams. The sudden revelation of trade rumors and the seemingly endless ways a transaction could unfold has the ability to alter the future of the league for years, making a normally dull period already one of the most memorable in years.
For those out of the loop, now is the time to catch up. Here's the latest.
It wasn't going to take long for other teams and players to jump all over the chaos surrounding the Cavaliers.
Chaos, meaning, Irving requesting a trade away from the Cavaliers, according to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. Potential reasons abound and the drama is only getting underway, but the infancy stages of this process hasn't stopped other teams and even players from trying to enter the fray.
Even so, it's a bit surprising to hear the Minnesota Timberwolves are one of those teams after the budding franchise's busy offseason. They acquired Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls, yet that hasn't stopped he and Karl-Anthony Towns from hitting the recruiting trail.
Here's Windhorst: "League sources told ESPN that both Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns have been doing their part to recruit Irving on the idea of playing alongside them in Minnesota, and they've made it known to Wolves management that they want to add the Cavs star to the mix."
Stepping back for a second, Minnesota would indeed be the perfect locale for Irving. Windhorst mentions his Team USA experience alongside Butler, but more importantly, he'd be joining one of the league's most potent young cores next to the mentioned names and Andrew Wiggins—he wouldn't necessarily be the star of the show like he seems to want, but he'd keep competing for titles.
The problem is compensation. Minnesota doesn't have much after the Butler trade. What they do have, as the writeup mentions, is Jeff Teague, but he's not eligible for trade until December.
The hint above about Irving wanting to be the star of the show was tactical, folks.
It seems Irving might've worn out on the idea of playing next to LeBron James, or at the least he's seen the potential writing on the wall before the King can hit free agency in 2018.
Windhorst's initial report included this eyebrow-raising nugget: "Irving has said that he wants to play in a situation where he can be more of a focal point and that he no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James..."
We finally have more context to this comment though thanks to a report by ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, which seems to outline Irving's master plan a bit more.
"In registering his preference for a trade, league sources said, Irving divulged to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert that he's become increasingly uneasy about a future that includes a roster constructed to complement LeBron James—a roster that could be devoid of James come free agency in 2018," Wojnarowski wrote.
The whole situation paints Irving as looking after himself first and foremost, which might irk some. But it makes sense he wouldn't want to be the last man standing in Cleveland if LeBron once again packs up his bags and leaves—and the team certainly wouldn't let him go then.
Funnily enough, some might miss a small detail included in the report—the Cavaliers shopped Irving during the draft anyway.
Obviously a deal didn't come to fruition, but it's quite clear Irving is the only asset of value other teams would want. This isn't to say he's doing the Cavaliers a favor, but he isn't killing them by looking out for himself, either.
As currently constructed, the Cavaliers run a slower pace with guys like Tristan Thompson so the offense can work through LeBron every time down the court. Irving attempted more shots last year, but he'd still likely fit better in a place prioritizing a run-and-gun attack. His landing in one while escaping what could be a ticking time bomb seems to be the master plan here.
It should go without saying, but the Cavaliers didn't want it to unfold like this.
A superstar going to a superteam's front office and requesting an out at a time when the long-term outlook seems bleak in the first place is never ideal. Having to endure a media hailstorm while honoring the request because of a leak only makes it all the worse.
Like most things these days, though, a leak seemed a matter of time.
Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto explained how the front office's plan came off the tracks: "The Cavs kept Irving's request quiet. They wanted to patiently work on a deal without all the media frenzy happening right now. I also heard it was some players who began telling others—leading to the news coming out."
This could be more devastating for the Cavaliers than it sounds. Forget the media and fan noise—teams could lowball the reshaping front office in trade talks now.
ESPN.com's Chris Haynes reported Irving has a list of teams including the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota. All suitable trade partners, but a team like San Antonio might not partake in a bidding war when it's just fine without Irving. Why would the Knicks sell off what limited future they have with the news making the rounds?
In a way, Irving could've hurt himself here because he's not like Carmelo Anthony, another one of the trade rumors market's favorites. He doesn't have a no-trade clause, so the leak could backfire and send him packing somewhere he doesn't want to be.
Call it an additional layer of intrigue to an evolving situation. Given the pace of it so far, it's best not to blink.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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