Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving Says ‘It Will Always Be Love’ For Cleveland

Irving said “it will always be love” for Cleveland. 

Irving played six seasons with the Cavaliers and helped the franchise win its first championship in 2016 over the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. 

The Cavaliers drafted Irving with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft out of Duke. Irving averaged 21.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks with Cleveland in the regular season. 

Irving made four All-Star teams and one All-NBA team with the Cavaliers. He also won the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year Award. 

LeBron James returned to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2014 after four years with the Miami Heat to play with Irving and Kevin Love. Cleveland went to four straight Finals in LeBron’s second stint with his hometown team, with Irving playing in three of them before requesting a trade in the offseason of 2017. 

An eight-time All-Star, Irving hit the game-winning 3-pointer over Warriors superstar Stephen Curry in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals. The 2015-16 Cavaliers are the lone team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the Finals. 

Irving averaged 23.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks in 52 postseason games with the Cavaliers. 

Collin Sexton and Ty Jerome have worn No. 2 with the Cavaliers since Irving was traded. Donovan Mitchell thinks owner Dan Gilbert should retire No. 2 one day in honor of Irving, who has played for the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks since his Cavaliers days came to an end. 

Irving is eighth in Cavaliers history in field goals, fourth in 3-point field goals, ninth in free throws, sixth in assists, ninth in steals, eighth in points, fourth in points per game, 10th in assists per game and third in player efficiency rating.