Kyrie Irving is angrily refuting reports he wants out of Cleveland, even as he artfully manages to avoid saying he plans to stay.
“Sick to my stomach with all these rumors and accusations,” Irving tweeted Saturday. “Can I play without media guessing at my life and putting B.S out for headlines?”
ESPN reported on Friday Irving desperately wants out of Cleveland and may prove resistant to signing any sure to come extension offers put before him this summer by the team.
In further responding to the report, Irving added “it brings nothing but negativity to the team and portraying me as something I’m not. I don’t want or need the attention, so it can stop now. At least be man or woman enough to come and ask me. There’s no such source as “Kyrie’s camp,” nothing but nonsense.”
But even Irving can’t deny the tensions that clearly exist with him and other prominent members of the organization, namely backcourt running mate Dion Waiters and coach Mike Brown.
Irving and Waiters reportedly engaged in a fistfight while the Cavs were in the midst of a season-long losing streak just a few weeks ago that ended with this year’s All-Star game MVP nursing a black-eye.
As for Brown, like many other Cavs players, Irving at times has been, to say the least, perplexed by the veteran coach’s play-calling, personnel and lineup decisions. The Akron Beacon Journal recently reported several opposing GMs have insisted Irving has been “pouting” for much of the season.
In 66 games, the 22-year-old, slick-ball-handling, third-year rookie has averaged 21 points, six assists and four rebounds while shooting 43 percent. Irving also took center stage at this year’s All-Star Game in New Orleans, walking away with MVP (31 points, 14 assists) honors after leading the East to a come-from-behind 163-155 victory.
