CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It’s been almost two years since their public breakup and old teammates LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are in the same spot: Forced to watch the playoffs while trying to parse through the uncertainty that lies ahead.

An incredible playoff streak shattered, James is witnessing his new team in Los Angeles botch a coaching search. He’s gone from imagining a reunion with Tyronn Lue to wondering about where his organization goes next. Lionel Hollins? Jason Kidd? Frank Vogel? Juwan Howard? Someone else?

Irving’s failed leadership was at the center of Boston’s early playoff exit Wednesday night. The Celtics were dispatched 4-1 by the tougher, more-connected Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. There’s no shame in losing to a better team. It happens all the time. Milwaukee boasts the league’s best record for a reason. They have the possible MVP (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Coach of the Year (Mike Budenholzer). They have a more mature group. They made a couple shrewd additions ahead of the trade deadline while the Celtics attempted to simultaneously balance the present and future.

That’s the simple reality of where James and Irving are now. But with this duo, nothing is ever simple.

Irving is getting eviscerated for his role in Boston’s shortcomings. He deserves that. He shot 25-of-83 (30.1 percent) in Boston’s four losses. In the finale Wednesday, he had one assist, reverting back to his ball-stopping and me-first ways.

Questions are being raised about Irving’s massive ego and how much regret he may have over leaving a ready-made title team in Cleveland during the summer of 2017. Could the two stars have stayed together and chased more championships? It’s easy to say that now, especially seeing the landscape in the NBA, which is more open after Kevin Durant limped off the floor with a calf injury against the Houston Rockets during Game 5. That last point about James and Irving staying together isn’t even worth discussing. There was zero chance of that happening. With two years left on his contract, Irving even threatened to sit out and have knee surgery if the Cavs kept him. Plus, we’re too far removed from that trade.

Ironically, Irving’s fearlessness and unwavering self-belief -- traits that have defined him for years -- led to both his Cleveland exit and the city’s first championship in 52 years. That’s what makes any discussion about Irving so complex, just the way he likes it.

Only a bold character would take the ball from LeBron during Game 7’s most important possession and then dribble six times before launching, without any hesitation, a ruthless 3-pointer that dropped through the net, shattering Golden State’s dream season and silencing Oracle Arena. It took that level of confidence to help the Cavaliers rally from a 3-1 series deficit against an historic 73-win team that had two home games if necessary.

Don’t forget this is the same guy who, early into his NBA career, had the audacity to challenge Kobe Bryant to a game of one-on-one after Team USA practices. Irving even put $50,000 on the line in order to entice the legend.

That brash approach, which helped turn Irving into a late-game assassin and Cavaliers hero, also led him to Boston. Irving believed he was ready for the next challenge. He wanted desperately to step out of James’ shadow and prove that he could be “the man.” For him, there was only one way to find out: Leave the only team that he knew, one that had made three straight Finals trips.

James and Irving knew what they could do together. They saw the evidence in the championship banner hanging inside the spacious practice facility at Cleveland Clinic Courts. But Irving wanted to test the limits of his own greatness. He needed to in order to satiate his own curiosity. His next step was trying to lead his own team.

Turns out, as this season showed, he wasn’t quite ready.

Lessons from LeBron

At times during Boston’s series against Milwaukee, Irving often looked like a player who learned nothing from his days playing alongside James. Other times, Irving looked like a player who chose to take only a few of the bad characteristics.

As many chronicled this season, Irving repeatedly poked at some of the youngsters. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier seemed to be the main targets through the media, questioning their readiness and talking about the Celtics being able to play free, without expectations, during their run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2018.

Irving didn’t reference them by name. Wonder where he got that tactic? At least he didn’t turn to social media and use the phrase “fit in/fit out” while trying to get his point across.

Irving also handled questions about his impending free agency as poorly as one possibly could, raising doubt about his commitment to Boston and keeping the future front and center. James put on a clinic during his time in Cleveland when it came to that, gently deflecting those inquiries and shifting the focus elsewhere. Irving didn’t seem to take notes on that. Or maybe he did and chose to shred them instead.

“Ask me July 1,” Irving said when approached in New York earlier this season. “I’ve spent the last eight years trying to do what everybody else wanted me to do in terms [of] making my decisions and trying to validate through the media, through other personnel, managers, anybody in this business,” Irving said, “and I don’t owe anybody s---.”

Other moments show his lack of readiness for this bigger role as well.

Following the Game 4 loss against Milwaukee, when Irving went 7-of-22 from the field, he was asked about his shooting struggles. He petulantly said: “Who cares?”

When prompted to expand on it, he gave a worse answer.

"I'm trying to do it all. For me, the 22 shots, I should have shot 30. I'm that great of a shooter."

Irving’s lack of leadership points to him being more of a co-star than someone destined for a starring role. But will he view it that way? He’s only 27. He’s incredibly headstrong. He hasn’t shown much accountability. Maybe he feels there’s unfinished business in Boston. Maybe this playoff loss will give him even more to prove. He still has time to change the narrative. That’s in his gifted hands.

A look back on the trade

The blockbuster trade between Cleveland and Boston was always considered lopsided, the scales tipping toward the Celtics. Irving was the best player in the deal. So no, the Cavs don’t just win the trade because Irving’s time with Boston may be ending and hasn’t gone according to plan. His arrival in Boston lifted the Celtics to a different place. The expectations rightfully increased.

But a deeper look shows how that deal has also helped lay the foundation for the Cavaliers’ future.

At that time, the Cavs were trying to take two paths at once. Irving was not only one of the team’s best players but also their finest trade asset -- future protection in case of James’ departure. The Cavs wanted win-now pieces for one final title push and assets for a LeBron-less era. Balancing both wasn’t easy. Keeping Irving wasn’t possible either. He would have made life miserable. He was adamant about leaving. The last thing the Cavs wanted in LeBron’s final year was a disgruntled player threatening to sink the ship.

The centerpiece of the deal turned out to be Collin Sexton. Dreadful statistically early, Sexton followed an upward trajectory and capped one of the best rookie seasons of anyone in the draft class with a brilliant final month. He made a strong case for First Team All-Rookie and played well alongside Kevin Love, who is another pillar of this rebuild.

The Cavs also received All-Star Isaiah Thomas, hoping his injury would heal in time to be a difference-maker. It never materialized and the Cavs flipped him to Los Angeles at the trade deadline. Without Thomas’ contract the Cavs don’t have Larry Nance Jr., a member of this young nucleus, and Jordan Clarkson is a key piece of this rotation while also serving as a valuable trade asset this coming season.

Jae Crowder turned into Rodney Hood who eventually became a pair of second-round picks in a deadline deal with Portland a few months back, adding to Cleveland’s massive pile.

Throw-in Ante Zizic had his option picked up. He played well in spurts in Year 2 and will likely be a backup big, giving the Cavs some frontline depth. Old head coach Larry Drew believes Zizic needs to work on his conditioning if he wants a bigger NBA role.

Sexton, Zizic, Clarkson, Nance and two second-round picks. Not bad.

LeBron trade rumors

Apparently there are people telling Jeanie Buss to field offers for James. What?

Landing him in free agency was the best thing to happen to that storied franchise. At least, since the Kobe days. James has three years left on his current contract. He willingly chose Los Angeles for a variety of reasons, many of which went beyond basketball. The only reason this isn’t a completely ridiculous rumor is because, well, it’s the Lakers. They have turned into an NBA laughingstock. Anything is possible.

Just look at the past few months. Magic Johnson abruptly quit, in part so he could return to Twitter. Johnson didn’t tell anyone in advance, including James. The coaching search has been a debacle. Somehow Kurt and Linda Rambis are heavily involved in that process. Rob Pelinka looks to be over his head as general manager. There’s a lot of weird happening in Hollywood.

But trading LeBron? How could any organization really justify that? When signing him, there are concessions that need to be made. It comes with the territory. He can be a headache. He wants things done a certain way. He puts constant pressure on an organization. It won’t always be smooth. He thrives in chaos -- it’s his normal. But everything is always worth it. Ask Miami. Ask Cleveland. Trading him isn’t the answer. If it is, the Lakers are asking the wrong questions.

Irving odds

The betting odds on Irving’s future are out. Here they are:

New York Knicks 2/1

Brooklyn Nets 3/1

Boston Celtics 13/4

Los Angeles Lakers 5/1

Los Angeles Clippers 8/1

Dallas Mavericks 10/1

Toronto Raptors 12/1

Those who know Irving well have been pointing to Brooklyn for months.

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