Cleveland Cavaliers: Will Kyrie Irving Make All-NBA First Team in 2013-14?

After the Cleveland Cavaliers lost LeBron James in the summer of 2010, the franchise went into rebuild mode. LeBron James was everything to not just the team, but the city as a whole. He understood the pain and the suffering Cleveland sports had been through and wanted to change it. But he left and with him left all realistic hopes of an NBA championship from the Cavs.

Can

turn his potential into rings? (Photo by slimm978/Flickr.com)

Enter Kyrie Irving. With some luck in the NBA draft lottery, the Cavs had the privilege to pick the Australian-born point guard who only played 10 games at Duke with the first overall pick. However, Dan Gilbert and the rest of the front office saw enough in Irving to take him No. 1.

This pick has lived up to expectations — and more. Irving has taken to the NBA like a duck to water. He is not only a deadeye shooter — he won the 2013 Foot Locker 3-Point Contest — but he can drive and get to the rim at will. If you combine that with above-average athleticism and some of the best handles in the NBA, you have a real world-class talent.

And Kyrie has been a shining light in a miserable period for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, as he enters his third year in the league, it’s time for him to turn good indiviual performances into wins for his team and hopefully a playoff berth. Will Kyrie Irving make the All-NBA first team next season?

It might sound a little crazy at first, as we have an abundance of high level point guards currently plying their trade in the league. But Kyrie Irving has shown in his short career that he can go with the best of them. Take his game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (highlights below) last year for example. Even without any significant help, he spearheaded a triumph, making clutch shot after clutch shot (dropping 35 points in total), against what is considered one of the most elite teams in the association.

However, if Kyrie Irving is to make the All-NBA first team next season, he is going to have to up his level on the defensive end of the floor. He improved minimally in that aspect of his game from his rookie year to sophomore year. This surprises me as he’s a good athlete and generally has good basketball instincts. You just hope that this will come with time.

As good as Kyrie Irving is,

is a safer bet for the All-NBA first team. Photo Credit: Chrishmt0423 (Flickr.com)

To conclude, Kyrie Irving could well make the All-NBA first team next year if he leads the Cavs back to the playoffs while averaging 30 points and seven assists a game. However, you just feel there are a few more polished point guards that will be looking to nail the spot down. Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook would be safer picks. Unfortunately, Kyrie Irving probably won’t make the All-NBA first team.

But that shouldn’t be an knock on Irving. He’s 21 years old. He’s barely legal to drink. The upside he has is unlimited. His killer instinct will ensure the Cavs — now that they have added some serviceable support — make the playoffs once again.

And who knows, maybe LeBron James will give him the help he really needs if he goes back home?

Could we see LeBron James back in this uniform sometime soon? (Photo: Keith Allison/Flickr.com)