Draymond Green predicted Kyrie Irving’s Cleveland departure – “I know the type of person he is and he wants more” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Kyrie Irving had certainly caused a storm with his trade request from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017. He played six seasons for the franchise and was instrumental in helping them win the 2016 championship. While this came as a surprise to many, Draymond Green had anticipated it.
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He was aware that Irving never aspired to a long-term future with the Cavaliers. At the time, reports suggested that he was done playing second fiddle to LeBron James and wanted to be the main guy. Firm on his stance, he was eventually traded to the Boston Celtics.
An unfortunate outcome for Cavs fans, who had just lost to the Warriors in the 2017 Finals. Irving had the perfect setting in Cleveland, with a superstar teammate in King James and a coach in Tyronn Lue — a combination that had created history in the 2016 Finals.
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Contrary to the majority of reactions, Green did see this coming at some point, having observed Irving from a close lens.
“No, I wasn’t surprised at all actually. Just because I know the type of person he is. He wants more. At the end of the day, it’s nobody’s responsibility to understand it but Kyrie’s, and that’s what I respect the most. Everybody’s fans (of them both) and can hype up the history of him and LeBron and Cleveland. At the end of the day, grown men make grown-man decisions and do what they feel like is right for their life. Drop the mic on that one,” said Green, who had a 2-1 Finals record against Irving.
A complex personality
Finding his way out of Cleveland, Irving did not seem in the right mental space, something most visible during his stints in Boston and Brooklyn. Embarking on a new chapter with the Celtics, the 6-foot-2 guard ruffled feathers with his teammates with his disengaged and detached outlook.
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Irving hoped to turn a new page with the Nets in 2019, especially since he also helped recruit Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, this would not be the case, given his off-court controversies, which ranged from not taking the COVID-19 vaccination to hurting Jewish sentiments.
Examining the chain of events, one can only imagine how the media took to Irving for headlines. Not happy with the portrayal, he did have a fair share of run-ins with reporters. There was a growing narrative that suggested basketball was no longer his No. 1 priority.
The Cleveland regret
A couple of years into his Cavs exit, Irving realized he could have addressed things in a better manner, especially with James. He regretted not being able to communicate his emotions and thoughts to LBJ, as that could have probably helped him assess the situation better.
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“We didn’t talk during that time. When I look back on what I was going through at that time, I wish I did (talk to LeBron), because it would’ve been a good understanding of what the future will hold for both of us, and we know how much power we both had together. Me and him in the league together running Cleveland, and then being able to put a better team together every single year would’ve definitely been worth it,” said Irving, who had a 132-51 record with James during their time as teammates.
The emotion of regret was more than visible, with Irving acknowledging that he and James had something special going in their favor on the Cavaliers. Although no one can predict the future, a reunion seems a little out of reach, given the current situation.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 2, 2025, where it first appeared.