Wizards fans might not want to admit it, but it wasn’t really a rivalry when the Cavaliers still had LeBron James. Washington hardly ever won, including never in a playoff series between the teams.
But there’s a good chance something new could develop between D.C. and Cleveland in the near future if likely top pick Kyrie Irving joins the Cavaliers. He would be the second straight point guard taken No. 1 in the NBA Draft, a year after John Wall landed with the Wizards.
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But don’t be fooled into thinking that Cleveland and Washington will have the same player. NBA director of scouting Ryan Blake compares Irving to someone else.
“It’s hard do a big-time comparison,” Blake said. “You can compare Kyrie to Chris Paul. Both [Irving and Wall] are great players, they just do things differently.”
Such as, Irving skipped the workouts and the testing at the NBA Draft combine. As ESPN’s Chad Ford tweeted, “[Blake] Griffin, Wall even LeBron did testing.”
But that’s not meant as a knock on the 19-year-old’s maturity, which he possesses in a manner similar to Wall. In his short stint at Duke, Irving also showed he’s got the upper hand in an area where Wall knows he’s still got work to do.
“I think Irving is a good shooter, and he’s going to become a better shooter,” Blake said.
Wall is still a better athlete, but Irving’s complete game, if it adapts quickly, gives the Cavaliers plenty to be excited about.
“As a great player, you have to have something really great, and you have to be versatile. That’s what you have with both Wall and Irving,” Blake said. “They do that well. They’re both quick. They’re both cerebral players as well. They both can push it.”
One other thing is certain should Irving go to Cleveland, the burden he’ll carry will be the same as Wall: the cornerstone of a franchise resurrection. A job that requires talent of the highest order and patience well beyond what’s usually expected from a first-year pro.
If a rivalry ensues, that’ll be a bonus.
