LeBron James may have been blindsided by Kyrie Irving‘s unexpected trade request, but he reportedly won’t be waiving his no-trade clause next season.
ESPN Sources: No matter the discord, the record, with or without Kyrie Irving, LeBron James not waiving his no-trade https://t.co/F8LRyZ42Mv
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 23, 2017
James is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2018, and most expect him to move on from the Cleveland Cavaliers shortly thereafter.
Bron, Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki are the only NBA players with no-trade clauses.
Per ESPN:
The four-time MVP winner, according to sources, is focused solely on competing for a championship as a member of the Cavs and will fulfill his contractual obligations, whatever unexpected circumstances may arise.
Irving’s request for a trade has put the franchise in a distressing position considering it has gone to three straight NBA Finals and has captured one title in that span. The Cavaliers are very much in win-now mode, but they face the arduous task of seeking to obtain close to equal value if they trade Irving.
ESPN reported that James is disappointed with the Irving development, and Cleveland.com reported that he was frustrated by owner Dan Gilbert sabotaging the front office and the lack of offseason moves. However, sources are adamant that James is committed to leading the team with the personnel the organization imports to training camp in September.
