The Cleveland Cavaliers are expecting large riches in return for their young All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, reportedly wanting a package similar to what the Denver Nuggets got in 2011 for Carmelo Anthony, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“The Cavaliers want a package that resembles the 2011 Denver Nuggets-New York Knicks deal for Carmelo Anthony — young players, win-now veterans and draft picks,” league sources said per Wojnarowski. “For new general manager Koby Altman, this is a textbook way to open trade discussions. But for now, most Irving suitors are using the Minnesota Timberwolves–Chicago Bulls trade model for Jimmy Butler, a scaled-down model of Melo’s rich return of assets.”
With players like Derrick Rose signing minimum contracts, the market just simply doesn’t work the same way it did six years ago, and given how the Cavs are in a must-sell situation, it severely limits their bargaining power.
Along with Irving’s four preferred destinations (San Antonio, New York, Miami, and Minnesota) — the Phoenix Suns and the L.A. Clippers have also made tangible offers for Irving, but there’s a feeling talks with NBA teams could extend into the first weeks of training camp — forcing either of these teams to step up their offers.
Yet the position remains the same, despite Altman’s posture of not needing to trade Irving — the Cavs need to sell and the bids will only get as big as the consensus of teams determine it to be. Cleveland will have to take a loss as teams trading away a superstar hardly ever get an equal return for their talisman, but it’ll be up to the franchise’s brawn to determine just how much of a loss they’re willing to take.