Warriors Vs. Cavaliers Season Four: What You Need To Know About The NBA’s Toughest Rivalry

Kyrie Irving Can’t Take the Heat of the Rivalry and Demands a Trade

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

After losing the 2017 NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving forced the team to trade him. Reports claimed he wanted to prove he was more than just LeBron’s number two. Other analysts believe he wanted out of the rivalry. Cleveland demanded a king’s ransom for Irving and traded him to Boston for injured superstar Isaiah Thomas.

Initially, the move backfired. The team looked worn-out and slow and concern grew whether they would even make the playoffs. At the trade deadline, the Cavaliers’ GM traded away six players whose average age was 30-years-old for four players who averaged 26-years-old. Cleveland looked rejuvenated and powered their way through the rest of the season and the playoffs.