"I'm going to LA anyway" - Jeff Teague believes LeBron James didn't care about Kyrie Irving's trade demand because of his own Cavaliers exit plan

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving built one of the NBA’s most iconic duos during their run with the Cleveland Cavaliers, leading the team to its first championship. But the partnership ended just a year later when Irving was traded to the Celtics. While many assumed James was crushed by the move, former NBA player Jeff Teague sees it differently.

During an episode of his Club 520 podcast, the former Atlanta Hawks guard expressed how he believed LeBron James didn't care about Kyrie Irving's trade.

"He (LeBron) probably don't care, bro," Teague said (0:40 onwards). "He probably don't give a f*ck, I'm going to LA anyway. Like he already knew his plans anyway, like going to LA."

Teague’s take on the situation comes from former Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue’s revelation on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast. Lue shared that James was visibly shaken by Irving’s decision to leave Cleveland, recalling how “Bron dropped the marker” during a signing session when the news first broke.

Despite winning a chip in 2016 and returning to the Finals a year later, Irving demanded a trade the next summer. According to reports, the guard wanted to be the focal point of his own team instead of playing in the shadow of James, effectively ending their partnership.

Following Irving's departure, James remained in Cleveland for another season, guiding the team to yet another Finals appearance. In 2019, though, he left the Cavaliers to join the LA Lakers, where he captured another championship in 2020.

Although their time in Cleveland ended unceremoniously, Irving and James were instrumental in building one of the greatest teams in franchise history.

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Jeff Teague once claimed LeBron James was on steroids before backtracking on the claim

Former Hawks player Jeff Teague made headlines in July after he accused LeBron James of using steroids.

The guard commented on the subject during an episode of his podcast, where he discussed James' stint with the Miami Heat.

"Miami Heat Bron, he was on steroids, bro. They started testing for HGH, and he had to sit out. He said his back was hurting, and he sat out 3 weeks… then came back skinny," Teague said.

This statement angered fans, who went after him online. The severe backlash caused Teague to backtrack on his comments with a post on Instagram.

"Y'all weird I was joking about Bron he was just that dominate chill," Teague wrote.

Teague’s comments stemmed from LeBron’s dominance during his Miami days. Although it was meant to be a joke, fans weren't pleased with his remarks.