Cleveland Cavaliers Could Shut Down Kyrie Irving if Knee Problems Continue
By Josh Sanchez
Point guard Kyrie Irving dictates how the Cleveland Cavaliers will go in the future, so the fact that the knee injury which cost him the first half of the season continues to be an issue could cause the Cavaliers to make a tough decision.
Cavs coach Byron Scott said that the team is not going to take any chances with Irving, so when Irving said his knee is still bothering him, the team was listening.
In fact, the Cavaliers could consider shutting down Irving if the knee injury continues to be a problem.
Per Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal:
"Kyrie Irving could be shut down again if his bothersome right knee is still giving him problems, coach Byron Scott said on Thursday…Scott said Thursday he planned to speak with trainer Max Benton about Irving’s knee later in the afternoon and didn’t rule out the possibility of shutting him down “if he says it’s bothering him again to the point where I know it’s bothering him enough that he can’t perform the way I know he is capable of….”“If there is any way of doing more damage by continuing to play, then I’ll find that out and we’ll go from there,” Scott said. “I want him to be able to go out there and play and be effective for us. I don’t want him to be out there playing at 50 percent.”"
It would be a smart move for the Cavaliers to shut Irving down if the knee injury persists.
The future of the organization is tied to Irving, so the team needs to do everything in their power to protect his long-term health. After all, Irving could be the key that would brings LeBron James back to town.