Paul George to Cavs deal fell through due to a pick protection
July 31, 2017Trade Deadline Day Indians
July 31, 2017Since Kyrie Irving asked to be traded 10 days ago, there have been plenty of opinions on the entire situation, whether they are from Cleveland Cavaliers fans, national media, or just people who don’t (or do) understand the timing of the request. Irving has supposedly referenced that, now that he has a championship ring, he wants to focus on becoming a Hall of Famer, something that he feels would be easier to do when he is not playing second-fiddle to LeBron James, or as more people like to call out, not being Batman’s Robin. Although he may not win as many games or postseason series on another team, he seems to think that being another team’s star would make it easier to get into the Hall of Fame when his career eventually comes to an end.
One player that would know how it feels to be someone’s Robin is Scottie Pippen, who was Michael Jordan’s right-hand man for 10 years with the Chicago Bulls. On Friday’s The Jump, Pippen opened up about Irving asking for a trade, saying that it is “perfect timing for Uncle Drew to do so.
For those who don’t like watching videos, here’s the transcript:
“I am a very strong supporter of what he’s doing because I’ve watched what has happened to him in his career and how things went for him in Cleveland, and I think he’s at a superstar level now that he can control his own destiny. A lot of players in our game have that opportunity and they don’t take advantage of it. I think it’s the perfect timing, Cleveland didn’t win a championship, they were right there, but there’s been a lot of things going on within that organization. LeBron doesn’t give those guys the security that they need, that the superstar is gonna be there and he’s gonna support us and I see Kyrie looking at the opportunity to run before LeBron runs, because there’s a lot of chatter out there that LeBron’s coming to play with the Lakers.”
Although Pippen is a Hall of Famer even though he was second-fiddle to Jordan for more than half of his career, if anyone knows how it felt to be under a star’s wing, it would be him. He’s not saying that he hated it, but he understands how it feels.
Irving not only wants to be his own team’s biggest star, but given the dysfunction in the Cavs’ front office and the potential that James could leave Cleveland next summer, Uncle Drew wants to set his own path, rather than follow in No. 23’s footsteps. No. 2 knows that he can control his own destiny by doing this this summer, rather than wait until James is possibly out the door one year from now. Although it will be tough to eventually see him go, Pippen seems to think that Irving’s request is perfect timing. Without any bias toward the Cavs or Irving himself, if anyone knows, it would be the Hall of Famer. That has to mean something, right?
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Not that Scottie is wrong, but I don’t think it’s that simple. There’s more to it. There has to be.
Tomorrow: Scottie Pippen discusses Proper Retirement Planning
Perfect timing? With all due respect, Scottie, you’re just banging your gums.