For all of LeBron James’ career highlights, there are certain moments that left scars deeper than any playoff loss. One of them, according to former Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, was the day Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics.
Lue shared the story on Club Shay Shay, recalling the exact moment LeBron learned of the blockbuster move.
“LeBron was doing an autograph signing with jerseys and stuff for his foundation. So I come sitting next to LeBron.”
“We sitting there, handling the phone, SportsCenter. Kyrie Irving has just been traded to the Boston Celtics. Man, LeBron dropped the marker and just lays back in his chair for about 10 minutes. Doesn’t say a word. Like just pissed off. And LeBron was crushed.”
“And I saw when that happened, I thought things would like, I thought LeBron would do something different, you know, sooner or later. And that’s what he did.”
For James, it wasn’t just about losing a teammate. Kyrie wasn’t some role player, he was the All-Star guard who had hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA history, the dagger three-pointer over Stephen Curry in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals that sealed Cleveland’s first championship.
Together, LeBron and Kyrie had toppled the 73–win Golden State Warriors and made three straight trips to the Finals. To see that partnership end so abruptly, and to Boston of all places, clearly rattled him.
Lue admitted that he tried to prevent the breakup, comparing the situation to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s infamous split. But Irving had made up his mind. He wanted to run his own team, away from LeBron’s shadow, and the Cavaliers’ front office granted his request.
The ripple effects were massive. Cleveland did return to the Finals in 2018, but without Kyrie, they were no match for Kevin Durant’s Warriors. Shortly after, LeBron left for Los Angeles, ending his second stint with the Cavaliers. Lue believes that if Irving had stayed, and if Durant never joined Golden State, the Cavaliers could have strung together two or three championships.
That what-if still hangs heavy. Instead, Irving’s move to Boston kicked off a turbulent chapter for both stars. LeBron eventually found success with the Lakers, winning the 2020 title, while Kyrie bounced between Boston, Brooklyn, and Dallas, searching for stability.
But in that moment back in 2017, LeBron’s silence said it all. The four-time MVP, who had carried franchises and cities on his shoulders, sat back in his chair, marker dropped, stunned into disbelief. It wasn’t a loss on the court that stung; it was the loss of the teammate who once helped him deliver on Cleveland’s greatest dream.
