Tyronn Lue opened up about the 2017 breakup of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ star duo on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe. He said he personally pleaded with Kyrie Irving to remain with the team.
Lue compared the situation to other NBA breakups, including Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and Blake Griffin with Chris Paul. He emphasized that he would have done anything to keep the partnership intact.
“He had made up his mind. But man, that was like another Kobe and Shaq. I would’ve never let it happen if I could stop it. I begged and pleaded,” the coach said, via HoopsHype.
He recalled the exact moment he learned Kyrie had been traded to the Boston Celtics. LeBron James, sitting next to him at a foundation jersey signing, went silent for ten minutes. Lue said the reaction made it clear how much the trade impacted LeBron.
“Bron would’ve stayed in Cleveland if Kyrie hadn’t left,” Lue told Sharpe. He expressed that the duo’s chemistry was rare and that the decision still weighs on him years later.
Lue noted that while other teams had talented rosters, the personalities of LeBron and Kyrie created a unique dynamic. He said that despite the Cavaliers’ success, the trade changed everything.
The Cavaliers had won the 2016 NBA Finals, delivering the city its first championship. Lue highlighted that the split was not due to team performance but personal decisions, marking a turning point for the franchise.
Even years later, Lue admitted the trade still “hurts” and left a lasting impression on both him and the team. He concluded that managing elite personalities in the NBA requires more than strategy—it demands understanding the human side of the game.
