The LeBron-Kyrie Dynasty That Never Was

Had the Cavs not lost the NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving probably wouldn’t have requested a trade.

However, the fact that Cleveland lost four games to one might have even been more of a deathblow to the organization.

History has shown over recent years, when a team loses 4 to 1, the reactions are often extreme.

Let’s go back to 2012.

The Oklahoma City Thunder with a young core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden lost to the juggernaut Miami Heat four to one.

Roughly four months later, the Thunder sent Harden to the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick. Oklahoma City also sent center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and…