Chapter 692: Chapter 692

It might even be because Hansen has an evident preference for Jokic.

"Is your scoring this season any less?" Hansen didn’t answer directly but countered Irving.

Irving shook his head.

Even though Jokic’s tactical status has improved, his desire to score is not high; he’s someone who prefers assisting over scoring.

Or in other words, Jokic is now an organizing center who can consume possession but doesn’t dominate shot attempts.

"This shows that you two can coexist. Does there really need to be a distinction as to who’s more important?"

Irving shook his head.

"I actually don’t mind being Scottie Pippen by your side. Supporting the greatest player is a proud thing, but..."

"I can’t accept becoming Toni Kukoc."

He does have ambition, but such ambition gets suppressed around Hansen.

But he can’t accept the change in his role, especially since he’s not yet 25.

He’s not really stupid; he just can’t accept his team’s status being gradually surpassed by Jokic.

Now it was Hansen’s turn to be silent.

Because this was an irreconcilable conflict.

Just like when Ray Allen was with the Celtics, he chose to leave because of Bradley’s growth.

And this situation now is directly related to Hansen.

If he hadn’t chosen Jokic back then, Irving would probably be content being his Pippen.

But it was his first time as a transmigrator, and when the opportunity to pick Jokic with foresight presented itself, he felt no one could refuse.

"Nikola isn’t someone who’s highly competitive."

"You’re still the team’s second lead right now." Read complete versıon only at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽

"I know that too, but next season, I probably won’t be anymore."

The living room fell silent.

Hansen knew that saying anything else was moot because Irving had already decided to leave.

"Now you have two choices: the first, play out the remaining half of the season peacefully, and then deal with it next season. You know we have a good shot at defending our title this season."

Hansen obviously still wanted Irving to stay.

Because Irving can play both with the ball and off the ball, and his defense and organization are above average in the League. You can’t find another Point Guard more suitable for the Cavaliers.

And it’s not bad for Irving either. Winning another championship would greatly enhance his personal historical status.

Hansen didn’t need to state the second choice, but he still reminded Irving: "The team won’t send you to Boston."

The Celtics are the Cavaliers’ biggest rival in The East; unless they can trade for Durant, Griffin wouldn’t do it.

"Actually, there’s another reason I want to leave." Irving didn’t choose immediately.

Hansen looked puzzled.

"They don’t see me as indispensable." The "they" in Irving’s words clearly referred to the team management,

"I know that, at the beginning of the season, they considered trading me for Paul George."

Irving’s words surprised Hansen because he had no idea about this.

But Hansen quickly shook his head, "I think there must be some misunderstanding."

If something really happened, Griffin would have definitely discussed it with him.

He called Griffin directly.

After a while, Griffin appeared in Hansen’s living room.

He didn’t go back but stayed in the car waiting for updated news.

"Larry (Bird) did contact me last July. He wanted to trade Paul George for Kyrie and Powell, but I quickly refused him. We just won a championship; there was no reason for such a trade."

Since he directly refused, Griffin naturally didn’t see the need to inform Hansen of this.

Hansen looked at Irving; Griffin had already spoken, so Irving’s second reason was moot.

Without the second reason, Irving’s desire to leave should be reduced significantly.

Turns out, Irving’s thinking really differs from ordinary people.

Griffin was at a loss for words. He wanted to say something more, but Hansen stopped him.

Forced decisions are never sweet; Irving was determined to leave, and even if forced to stay, he wouldn’t play well on the court.

"Thank you, boss." This was the second time tonight Irving used this term.

Irving left, leaving behind Griffin wearing a worried expression and Hansen frowning.

The reason Hansen advised Irving to wait until the end of the season to leave was not only because it’s hard to find a player more suitable than Irving; it was also for the sake of the team’s interests.

A mid-season major trade would disrupt the team’s existing chemistry, and establishing new chemistry takes time.

Not to mention that the player they trade for might not even fit, significantly raising the difficulty of defending the championship this season.

The collapse of a dynasty stems from the inside, and they hadn’t even become a dynasty before encountering such a dilemma.

What Hansen was experiencing in Cleveland was much more difficult than what he went through in Memphis back then.

"Should I contact Larry?" Griffin tentatively asked after a long pause.

Although George is a small forward, the Cavaliers could bring in a new Point Guard through later operations.

"You can try, but I don’t think it’ll work."

After losing to the Cavaliers last season, George likely spent the summer training hard as well.

His shooting percentages this season, 46.8% from the field and 39.3% from three, are career highs.

Moreover, a player’s trade value isn’t tied solely to their performance on the court.

Bird’s previous interest in Irving isn’t comparable to the Irving this season, who’s been involved in several off-court issues.

Griffin checked the time; it was still early, so he contacted Bird.

They had a brief conversation.

Bird was still interested in Irving, but he wasn’t willing to trade George for him anymore.

However, he was willing to trade anyone other than George for Irving.

Yet outside of Irving, the Pacers didn’t have anyone with trade value except Myers Turner, which wasn’t what the Cavaliers needed.

"Chicago seems to be considering trading Jimmy Butler, and Oklahoma has Carmelo Anthony." As a general manager, Griffin was quite aware of the trade market.

"David, do you think Kyrie is an exception?" Hansen suddenly asked Griffin a question at that moment.

"Are you worried that other stars who come to Cleveland will have the same thoughts as Kyrie?" Griffin understood Hansen’s implication.

The people Griffin mentioned have all been in the League for years and are stars at the peak of their careers.

If they can be acquired, on paper, it would imply minimal damage to the Cavaliers’ strength.

But as Hansen put it, by bringing them in, would they not end up thinking like Irving?

Most stars require having the ball in their hands, not only due to personality traits but because it’s necessary for ensuring their League status and, most crucially, their contracts.

Although a player’s value isn’t always directly linked to stats, stats remain the primary indicator of a player’s worth.

To cite a recent example, just look at Green; after this season, his trade value will undoubtedly plummet, and his earnings from his next contract will also decrease significantly.

Hansen’s concerns are not without merit.

But if they don’t trade for a star, then the Cavaliers would essentially be built around Hansen and Jokic.

A championship-contending team having two core players is pretty standard.

Then the question becomes, can Jokic live up to being the second core?

In a typical season, this wouldn’t be an issue; having Hansen alone would suffice.

But with the Celtics in the East and the Universe Warriors in the West this season, can the Cavaliers still defend their title?

If the Cavaliers fail to defend their title this season, Griffin, who made the trading decisions, would certainly be held responsible for the failure.

"Maybe I should try convincing Kyrie again?" Griffin now better understood why Hansen offered Irving the option of leaving after this season.

Hansen shook his head. Irving’s attitude tonight showed he had no intention of returning.

"Make contact first; if there’s really no suitable option, strengthening the bench could work."

During the Christmas game, Irving was subbed out early by Malone, yet the Cavaliers could still match the Warriors evenly, demonstrating that their starting lineup is strong enough.

If they strengthen the bench and provide Hansen and Jokic ample rest time, then relying on roster depth could also be effective.

The Grizzlies defeated the Heat to defend their title back then using this approach.