Rumors have been circulating that Kyrie Irving wants out of Cleveland. The former Duke star has firmly denied them, but they’re out there. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, there are several people within the Cavaliers organization that Irving does not get along with. One of them is teammate Dion Waiters.
“The truth is [Kyrie’s] camp has been putting out there for years – years – that he doesn’t want to be in Cleveland,” Windhorst told Cavs: The Blog last week. “That they don’t want him in Cleveland. He doesn’t like Mike Brown. He didn’t like Chris Grant. He doesn’t like Dion Waiters. He’s already gotten a General Manager fired. He might get Mike Brown fired.”
Enter Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, who is friends with Waiters. During an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” last week, Gordon shared his thoughts on the Irving situation.
“I talked about it with Dion,” Gordon said, via Cleveland.com’s Tom Reed. “He’s my neighbor in my building so we hang out all the time. I’m aware of the rift in the locker room. That’s just alpha males and supreme athletes trying to share the spotlight. Dion has some exposure right now depending on how Dan Gilbert wants to play free agency or trades. Hopefully they get along.”
Gordon added that it “might play out better” if Waiters and Irving were not teammates next season. The Akron Beacon Journal’s Jason Lloyd later asked Irving what he thought about Gordon’s insight.
“Guys like Josh Gordon need to stay in his sport and mind his own business,” Irving said. “Does he still play for the Browns? I’ll continue to root for the Browns, but in terms of this stuff here, what goes on in this locker room, he needs to stay out of it.”
Irving also said he has no problems with Waiters personally but that anyone can see their playing styles don’t mesh well on the court. Gordon fired back on Twitter over the weekend.
Smh.. think i touched a nerve lmao @dionwaiters3 #racetotheplayoffs? http://t.co/6K3r5mYy5l
— Flash Gordon (@JOSH_GORDONXII) April 6, 2014
Waiters tried to distance himself from all of the reports:
I don't kno y & how I was put in this but y'all can't believe everything yu hear!!!! That's what media get paid for.
— Dion Waiters (@dionwaiters3) April 6, 2014
If the Cavs really aren’t getting along, I’m sure another Cleveland superstar speaking about it publicly makes things more awkward. In this instance, I’m with Irving — Gordon is probably better off minding his own business.
H/T Eye on Football
