Irving did not think there was anything particularly special about him that would make James treat him differently. This time, Irving chose to seize the initiative before James made his decision. Amid this restless atmosphere, time gradually passed, and the process of trading Irving accelerated. The Durant, Leonard, and Irving Big Three burst onto the scene, shocking the media, fans, and the league! "James is supposedly so damn great, so how come he doesn't have a single championship? What the hell are you bragging about? Zero rings either way—who are you looking down on?" Irving had repeatedly proven his ability in the high-intensity battles of the playoffs. His clutch-shot duel with Durant in the Eastern Conference Finals had left an especially deep impression on people. In addition, Irving had noticed how James used the Cavaliers to secure contracts for players represented by his agency. Irving's camp judged that James might leave the Cavaliers again, and when that happened, the Cavaliers would face a rebuild—a complete rebuild. Of course, the Big Three had brought victories to the Cavaliers, but while winning, Irving also had to endure a great deal of pressure from James. At the same time, rumors linking James to the Lakers kept surfacing, yet he had never promised to renew his contract, maintaining an extremely ambiguous stance. On July 22, after the Summer League ended, the frenzied arms race among the league's top teams temporarily came to an end, and the NBA officially entered its long dull offseason. That summer, James expressed dissatisfaction with the team's front office twice. In competitive sports, victory came above all else. No personal feelings could override the team's interests. No matter how much Isaiah Thomas had done for the Celtics, if there was a better option, Danny Ainge would trade him without hesitation.
The Warrior Godfather
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