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Just one month after a Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be falling apart.On Friday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Kyrie Irving asked the Cavaliers for a trade during a meeting with team owner Dan Gilbert.
Irving reportedly wants to be the focal point of an offense and team and wishes to separate from LeBron James.
Windhorst reported LeBron James was "disappointed" to learn of Irving's request.
"Kyrie Irving is ready to end his run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as league sources told ESPN that the guard has asked the team to trade him.
"The request came last week and was made to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. Irving has expressed that he wants to go play in a situation where he can be a more focal point and no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James, sources said."
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"James was informed of Irving's request and was blindsided and disappointed, sources said. Other members of the team have learned of Irving's intentions in recent days as well."
The report comes after Irving made an eyebrow-raising comment to Sports Illustrated that the Cavs are in a "peculiar place."
"I understand we're in a very peculiar place," Irving said. "We just have to, you know, make sure that all our pieces are aligned first, and then we go from there. It's the summertime, a lot of craziness going on in the NBA."
Many assumed Irving was referring to rumors that James may consider leaving the Cavs in free agency in 2018.
James' future, of course, is another storm on the horizon for the Cavs. James is reportedly "frustrated" and "concerned" with the Cavs future after an offseason that featured only middling moves like signing veteran point guard Jose Calderon and veteran forward Jeff Green. In a summer that saw the Warriors get better, the Cavs seemed to have stood still or perhaps move backward.
In June, the Cavs chose not to renew GM David Griffin's contract then failed to land their top replacement, former NBA veteran Chauncey Billups. The Cavs have still not filled the GM vacancy.
It's unclear where the Cavs go from here, but suddenly, the future looks a lot murkier, if not darker, than it did just a month ago.