CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If the Cavaliers were unable to trade Kevin Love on draft night in exchange for top talents such as Paul George or Jimmy Butler, should the team shift its focus toward exploring trade offers for Kyrie Irving?
Irving, an Olympic gold medalist and four-time NBA All-Star, averaged 25.8 points in 18 postseason games in helping Cleveland reach the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year.
Rumors about Irving being the centerpiece of a trade to Utah that would have netted Cleveland Paul George and George Hill were widely refuted on Thursday, but the rumors triggered a valid question:
Should the Cavaliers be willing to part with Irving, who should command better value than Love on the trade market, in return for the type of talent the team covets in order to get past Golden State in the Finals?