It’s officially been over 10 years since the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled one of, if not the greatest, NBA Finals performances of all time, clawing back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
To commemorate the milestone, several members of the 2016 championship squad recently traveled to Europe to celebrate the anniversary. The group included LeBron James, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, Tristan Thompson and Richard Jefferson. Later on, Iman Shumpert and Matthew Dellavedova joined the gang.
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However, Kyrie Irving didn’t take part in the celebrations. It didn’t take long for fans online to speculate about his absence, with some claiming the star point guard harbored animosity toward his former team.
Since then, a scoop report and Irving himself have debunked the rumors. Now, Jefferson also weighed in on the situation on “Road Trippin’ Show,” explaining how the reunion came together and the team’s real feelings toward Irving.
The Cavs love Kyrie
The reunion took place in the United Kingdom, France, and Scotland, where they spent several days playing golf, reportedly at Loch Lomond Golf Club. In clips circulating on social media, James and his teammates were seen laughing, partying, dining and drinking throughout the trip.
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And clearly, the multi-million-dollar getaway was not your typical trip. Aside from being expensive, according to Jefferson, the trip required considerable planning and coordination, which began in their group chat, which he said didn’t include everyone on the roster.
“It was the group chat from the championship team, not the championship team group chat. So there’s a difference in context. We were the old heads,” he said. “So then we start doing, ‘Hey guys, we should get together, do some golf, and go do this.’ It takes a lot to get a plan out of the group chat, just in general, with the people there.”
However, Jefferson said one of the biggest hurdles once planning began was deciding who to invite. Because the initial GC included only a handful of teammates, he said they realized it’d send the wrong message if they didn’t invite other members of the championship roster. So they did, and of course, didn’t forget Uncle Drew.
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“The next step was adding in more people. We love all the people involved. We love our guy Kyrie. It’s nothing but love,” Jefferson said. “To be together on the day that we won it was really, really cool.”
Related: Richard Jefferson issues reality check after Heat acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo
Irving broke his silence
One of the things that fueled the speculation surrounding Irving’s absence was Smith’s viral Instagram comment, where he wrote, “Missing none. He was invited and ghosted us all. So stop with that bs.”
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Following the rumors, Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson revealed in a report that Irving actually had prior commitments, including the NBPA Top 100 Camp in South Carolina. Smith has also clarified that Irving had reached out and that they are “good.”
Ultimately, the nine-time All-Star broke his silence bout the matter on his livestream, going off on the media for creating narratives.
“Me and my brothers, who played on Cavs, bro, we are good. We are more than good, alright? Tried their best, not them, but I’m not gonna blame them either,” Irving said.
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“It’s all love. And when I get back to the states… we’re gonna have a great time, alright? We’re gonna leave it at that. Because the immaturity behind you, the media, to spin narratives, Psychotic, bro. Psychotic,” he added.
Later in the discussion, Jefferson and Frye, both hosts of the podcast, agreed that five years would be ideal for the Cavaliers’ next reunion. If it comes to fruition, it’ll be interesting if Irving attends.
Related: “Psychotic bro” – Kyrie Irving goes off on the media for creating a “beef” with his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.