By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Kyrie Irving admitted Monday he hasn’t been a leader during his time in Cleveland and hopes to learn from the team’s veterans, now led by LeBron James.
“I haven’t been a leader – not at all,” the former Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick star told RealGM in Chicago.
“Everybody asks me if this is my year to be a leader … I haven’t been so far though, not at all,” Irving added. “I’ve just been a kid trying to figure it out. There’s no perfect way to be a leader, and coming in as a 19-year-old kid and having everything bearing on your shoulders, there are a lot of ups and downs. Now it’s about being the best every single day and not being afraid.”
Irving is excited to be adding pieces to the Cavaliers for next season, but one of those pieces just happens to be the best player in the world.
“Honestly, it’s just good to have another piece that I’ll be able to lean on from the standpoint of just being out there with more pieces and nobody can just load up on me like everybody did before,” Irving said on Monday afternoon after the United States National Team finished up an open practice at the United States Military Academy.
Irving speaking about merely adding a piece belies the fact that the Cavs will be among the favorites to win the NBA title in 2014-15. The ‘piece’ Irving referenced just happens to be James, who is coming back to Cleveland after spending the last four seasons as a member of the Miami Heat. James signed a 2-year deal for $42.1 million with a player-option after the first season.
Aside from James, the Cavs have agreed in principle to a trade that will bring them Kevin Love in exchange for No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and 2013 No. 1 overall selection Anthony Bennett.
The trade cannot be made official until Saturday, which marks 30 days from the time Wiggins signed his rookie contract with the Cavaliers.
The Cavs also added seasoned veterans in Mike Miller and Shawn Marion this summer.
Irving inked a 5-year, $90 million extension earlier this summer.
Having two players to work with at the caliber of James and Love is a stark contrast for Irving, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cavs in 2011. That was the first summer after James left for South Beach.
In Irving’s three seasons in Cleveland, the Cavs are a combined 78-152. Irving has played in 181 of those 230 games, averaging 20.7 points and 5.8 assists per contest while being the focus of most every defense he has faced to this point.
“I’m not saying we didn’t have any good players, but every team’s defense was to stop me, so it’ll be good to finally pass to somebody,” Irving said of James. “He’s the greatest player playing the game right now. It’s a dream come true to be able to play with him.”
Team USA will play exhibition games at Madison Square against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday and Puerto Rico on Friday before heading to Spain to continue training. They open World Cup-play in Group C against Finland on Aug. 30.
Irving appears to be in good shape to make the 12-man roster, which is currently carrying him, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose as its point guards. At this point, Lillard is thought to be the odd-man out within that group.
