Report: Cavaliers don't want to pay Kyrie Irving maximum money

Kyrie Irving's poor leadership and attitude have cost him max money. (David Liam Kyle/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly are not going to pay Kyrie Irving the maximum amount of money this summer via a long-term extension, according to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.

The reasoning, according to Lawrence, is that Irving hasn't been a strong leader in his first three seasons, and has developed an unwelcome reputation for being a problem in the locker room. As a result, the Cavs don't see Irving as worth the max amount of money.

From the NY Daily News report:

“He was just handed too much, too soon,’’ said one source. “You’ve got to make these young guys earn it, and that’s where this team did a bad job with him.’’

Although the team doesn't want to deal Irving, Lawrence suggested that it could come to that if Irving and his people continue to state that he wants out.