INDEPENDENCE, Ohio _ In a year when the Most Valuable Player race appears wide open, LeBron James sees no reason why a new candidate can't emerge: His own teammate.
While James is a trendy pick to win his fifth MVP award, James said he believes Kyrie Irving is ready to enter the conversation.
"Why not?" asked James, who famously predicted last season that Irving could have MVP awards in his future. "His ability to lead a team and his ability to score and get guys involved, we're going to continue to improve as a team, we're going to be right up there with the league leaders in wins, so why not?
"I think the sky's the limit for the kid. He's only [24] years old. ... He hasn't even gotten to his prime yet."
It's only three games, but Irving is embracing coach Tyronn Lue's instruction from last season to stop worrying about assist totals and just attack the basket. He is averaging 25 points through the three games and shooting 46 percent overall, including 50 percent from the 3-point line.
Irving spent last season rehabbing a knee injury and then trying to play his way back into shape. His numbers suffered as a result, but all that has changed this season. Irving is healthy now after winning gold for Team USA over the summer and is thriving.
Irving, however, is not focused on leading the Cavaliers in scoring _ although that could become an item to watch if it continues. James has been the leading scorer on his team every year he has been in the league. Irving could be changing that.
"I think the wealth can be shared around no matter what throughout this team. That's what makes us dangerous," Irving said. "I'm pretty sure we will see LeBron go for a LeBron-like game, not to say that he's not doing that right now, but he doesn't necessarily need to do it right now. He's playing extremely aggressive when he needs to, picking and choosing his spots and I think we're all doing a great job of that.
"Finding areas in the offense where we can all be efficient and when our plays are called just trying to knock them down for one another."
All three of the Cavs' stars _ James, Irving and Kevin Love _ are averaging at least 20 points per game. Whether that is sustainable remains to be seen, but James sees great potential in Irving.
"He doesn't have any weaknesses, especially offensively," James said. "He's been great so far. If guys take away his driving lanes he's able to create off the dribble, make pull-up jumpers. He can shoot the 3-ball, too, so he doesn't have any weaknesses offensively so it doesn't matter."
