The following is an excerpt from Jason Lloyd's book The Blueprint: LeBron James, Cleveland's Deliverance and the Making of the Modern NBA, which is on sale now ($28, Dutton/Penguin Random House)
(Kyrie) Irving fought injuries throughout his career, first his toe and then shoulder, wrist, and facial injuries. He also struggled with learning how to lead. He was asked to carry a heavy load while (LeBron) James was in Miami. He was a point guard who rarely passed and was considered a ball hog by most everyone — including his teammates. Irving insists he was doing what was asked of him to try to win games, but one of James’s first goals after arriving was teaching Irving how to be a distributor.