Kyrie Irving is reportedly ready to return to action, and he is said to be getting very irritated with the Cleveland Cavaliers for keeping him on the shelf.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports that Irving has been “ready to play both mentally and physically” for about a week now, but Cavs coach David Blatt has already ruled him out for Tuesday’s game against the Boston Celtics. Blatt has admitted that Irving looks good in practice and has been feeling fine, but the team is being extremely cautious with the 23-year-old.
Irving has yet to say anything publicly, but he does not seem happy:
Irving has stayed true to the Cavs’ plan to take the measured route back to the lineup, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. As Cleveland.com previously reported, Irving has indeed been pestering the coaching staff and front office to allow him to return to the point that he has become “pissed off,” according to a source. However, he has channeled that frustration into extra work on the court, as witnessed by him joining James as the last two players going through shooting drills after Sunday’s practice while teammates had long since started icing their knees.
The Cavs are 15-7 and have the best record in the Eastern Conference. They are obviously a better team with Irving on the floor, but they have been good enough without him thus far. While there has been speculation that Irving could return Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a source told McMenamin that some members of the organization wouldn’t be opposed to keeping the point guard out until February if it increased the odds of him remaining healthy for the postseason.
If Irving truly is ready to return, the Cavs can’t keep him out for another two months. They certainly can (and will) manager his minutes, but there’s something to be said for building team chemistry. Remember, this is only LeBron James’ second season back in Cleveland, and it took a while for the Cavs to gel last year.
Speaking of LeBron, he wasn’t happy when he was forced to sit out a game recently so he could stay fresh. The Cavs are obviously intent on staying healthy, but they need to find a way to make it work without irritating their superstars. That said, we know how the team reacted when Irving went down in the playoffs. It’s best for everyone in the locker room to remember that feeling and respect the process.
