Lebron: "I was ready to hand Kyrie the keys to the Cavs"

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

uhhh huh

LeBron was 'ready' to give Kyrie the Cavs' keys

Alright so lets indulge this piece of crap comment for a second. You mean to tell me that someone with such a huge ego was really going to play second fiddle? Don't think so

Or, by "giving the keys" does that mean you are planning to bolt after this season?

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Pffft, that was awesome

Kyrie owns a ring because of Lebron, and he's been nothing but a whiny little crybaby that mocks Lebron......

Lebron is crazy like a fox, his intentional language was awesome

Kyrie is and always be a ME player, just wait till he gets a taste of Gordon Hayward being the golden boy in Boston

Which explains why there are nipping at each other like two 13 year old girls..both are selfish egomaniacs.

 

[gordontrue]

lol, a lot of confirmation bias going on in this thread.

I thought his answer was candid, respectful, and pretty even-keeled. But that's probably just my confirmation bias.

 

[CitySushi]

lol, a lot of confirmation bias going on in this thread.

I thought his answer was candid, respectful, and pretty even-keeled. But that's probably just my confirmation bias.

Nothing Lebron does is not without some level of thoughtfulness. He's always about public perception and it would serve in his best interest to say he was willing to defer. Whether or not he was actually willing to do so is another thing entirely.

Lebron is still the best player in the world. You don't ask the best player in the world to take a backseat to anyone. Hell if Lebron, KD, Steph, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard were all on the same team, Lebron is still the guy you want with the ball in his hands as much as possible.

Kyrie wasn't going to get a real opportunity to be the lead dog on that team until Lebron declined significantly. Even then, it's not a sure thing that Lebron would relinquish any hold on his alpha role. It's in his DNA. Same way that when MJ played for the Wizards. He was a shell of himself, but he still acted as the alpha instead of helping his guys develop their games. I feel Lebron would be similar.

At the end of the day, the goal is to win games and win a championship. In Lebron's mind, do you think there is a better option for him to win than with someone other than him driving the ship? Not a chance in my mind and deservedly so.

 

[Gman]

lol, a lot of confirmation bias going on in this thread.

I thought his answer was candid, respectful, and pretty even-keeled. But that's probably just my confirmation bias.

Even the repetition of LeBron referring to Kyrie as "kid"?

It wasn't a slip... he did it over and over. How can you interpret that as anything other than him trying to needle and disrespect Kyrie?

 

[GNG]

i dont know about you...

but i havent been this giddy since i literally fell out of my chair at work, when my entire office exploded that we got KG.

 

[gordontrue]

Even the repetition of LeBron referring to Kyrie as "kid"?

It wasn't a slip... he did it over and over. How can you interpret that as anything other than him trying to needle and disrespect Kyrie?

Kyrie was 20 years old when their relationship started and LeBron was an established top-10 player of all time. LeBron has always seen himself as the mentor/teacher in the relationship, even though I don't think Kyrie has.

I don't doubt that that might bother Kyrie... but I don't see it as intentionally disrespectful at all. Listen to the rest of what LeBron is saying, he hopes Kyrie does well, he hopes he did a good job of teaching him and setting him up for his future.

 

[gordontrue]

Nothing Lebron does is not without some level of thoughtfulness. He's always about public perception and it would serve in his best interest to say he was willing to defer. Whether or not he was actually willing to do so is another thing entirely.

Lebron is still the best player in the world. You don't ask the best player in the world to take a backseat to anyone. Hell if Lebron, KD, Steph, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard were all on the same team, Lebron is still the guy you want with the ball in his hands as much as possible.

Kyrie wasn't going to get a real opportunity to be the lead dog on that team until Lebron declined significantly. Even then, it's not a sure thing that Lebron would relinquish any hold on his alpha role. It's in his DNA. Same way that when MJ played for the Wizards. He was a shell of himself, but he still acted as the alpha instead of helping his guys develop their games. I feel Lebron would be similar.

At the end of the day, the goal is to win games and win a championship. In Lebron's mind, do you think there is a better option for him to win than with someone other than him driving the ship? Not a chance in my mind and deservedly so.

Sure... but where did LeBron say I was ready to hand over the keys this season?

People are viewing this in the prism of "LeBron is leaving the Cavs soon"... but yesterday LeBron said nothing has changed in terms of wanting to be a Cav till he retires. That's the context this was all said under.

Listen to the rest of what LeBron was saying. He was talking long-term. He talked about trying to be a good mentor to Kyrie, tried to teach him what he learned, saw him grow a lot, was prepared to hand over they keys. I don't think its disingenuous at all... especially when you look at the way that LeBron values the mentors he's had in his life and his career.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Kyrie was 20 years old when their relationship started and LeBron was an established top-10 player of all time. LeBron has always seen himself as the mentor/teacher in the relationship, even though I don't think Kyrie has.

I don't doubt that that might bother Kyrie... but I don't see it as intentionally disrespectful at all. Listen to the rest of what LeBron is saying, he hopes Kyrie does well, he hopes he did a good job of teaching him and setting him up for his future.

i would if someone called me "kid".

 

[gordontrue]

i would if someone called me "kid".

You're probably not 24. And it really just depends on who it is. For me, if its someone significantly older than me that I view as a mentor, it wouldn't bother me one bit.

 

[Rock Strongo]

You're probably not 24. And it really just depends on who it is. For me, if its someone significantly older than me that I view as a mentor, it wouldn't bother me one bit.

i did when i was 24.

 

[Wamu]

i would if someone called me "kid".

Hey kid how are you today?

 

[Wamu]

i did when i was 24.

Aren't you 25?

 

[Rock Strongo]

Aren't you 25?

I was once...

when the pats won their first SB.

 

[LogicMan]

I will maintain Kyrie's departure was a little of everything. He truly got sheet lucky in the end.

 

[Gman]

Kyrie was 20 years old when their relationship started and LeBron was an established top-10 player of all time. LeBron has always seen himself as the mentor/teacher in the relationship, even though I don't think Kyrie has.

I don't doubt that that might bother Kyrie... but I don't see it as intentionally disrespectful at all. Listen to the rest of what LeBron is saying, he hopes Kyrie does well, he hopes he did a good job of teaching him and setting him up for his future.

I can't say I agree with you.

We can all agree that LeBron isn't stupid. He shouldn't be and wouldn't be unknowing of the fact that publicly referring to Irving as "kid", over and over, would be a needle.

Even given the context you outline above... the mere fact that LeBron knows it would bother Kyrie would be enough to let LeBron know he probably shouldn't do it.

But he did it all the same.

That takes away from any positive words LeBron may have said around his various "kid" jabs... and, frankly, those words came across more as self-congratulatory to me... a way to build James up as a 'mentor who tried and tried' more than anything else.

 

[DefCONNOne]

biggest douchebag in sports.

and people wondered why i hate the player so much. its got nothing to do with my celtics. he just sucks.

Oh I'm sorry, but Wyc Grousbeck has already claimed the Celtics. Try again sport.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Oh I'm sorry, but Wyc Grousbeck has already claimed the Celtics. Try again sport.

i claimed them before wyc got here.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Oh I'm sorry, but Wyc Grousbeck has already claimed the Celtics. Try again sport.

PS thats a horribly misguided group of teams ya got there, sport.

pick one city, pick one cities teams.

 

[DefCONNOne]

PS thats a horribly misguided group of teams ya got there, sport.

pick one city, pick one cities teams.

Sorry, can't do that.