LeBron's real reason revealed: he wants Kyrie

The real reason behind LeBron James' record-setting free agency wait has finally emerged. According to Vincent Goodwill, LeBron James has been trying to get the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade for Kyrie Irving, but the Dallas Mavericks aren't interested in the deal.

This development brings important clarity to the earlier story about the wait. According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, the widespread belief around the league is that James has been slow-playing his decision to see if his next team could land Irving or Anthony Davis; if a team proved capable of acquiring one of his former championship teammates, it might sway his decision in that direction.

This scenario, however, faces two major obstacles. According to sources close to the Mavericks, they have no intention of putting Irving on the trade block — new head coach Dusty May has compared watching Irving's workouts to "watching Picasso paint a picture," with the organisation reported to have genuine excitement about pairing Irving with Cooper Flagg.

The second obstacle comes from the Cavaliers' side. The club is also reported to be reluctant to trade James Harden, with swapping Harden for a player with an injury history seen as risky; it is recalled that Irving lost his entire season to injury and averaged just 45 games over his previous six seasons.

ESPN's analysis, meanwhile, points to a different possibility. It is reported that James' career "storybook ending" may actually lie in Miami rather than Cleveland, with league sources confirming that James has been angling to bring Irving to Cleveland but the Mavericks have shown no interest in engaging in a trade; Irving is also believed to be comfortable where he is.

The emotional dimension of this wait is also significant. The possibility of reuniting the James-Irving duo, who brought the Cavaliers their first and only championship in 2016, stands out as a key factor influencing James' decision.

Source: Vincent Goodwill
Image: Sportsnet