Gilbert Arena’s reaction to Kyrie Irving not attending 2016 Cavs reunion

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas recently weighed in on Kyrie Irving’s absence from the 10-year reunion of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team, expressing hope that any lingering issues between former teammates will eventually fade with time.

The reunion brought together several key members of Cleveland’s historic title-winning squad in the United Kingdom, including LeBron James, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert and Matthew Dellavedova. Irving, now a star guard for the Dallas Mavericks, was notably absent from the gathering.

Speaking on a recent episode of The Gilbert Arenas Show, Arenas reflected on the significance of the Cavaliers’ championship and the bond shared by James and Irving during that run.

“It would be good to see them together having fun. I mean they both stamped themselves in history because of that championship… So there shouldn’t be no beef.”

Arenas emphasized that both players played essential roles in delivering Cleveland its first NBA title.

“Hey, I helped you get your third. You helped me get my first. We both champions because we played together. So why are we even at this point? The bigger picture is… You became your first time champion. I became I got my third. You got to look at that part of it.”

Gilbert Arenas reacts to Kyrie Irving not attending the 2016 Cavs reunion

“It would be good to see them together having fun. I mean they both stamped themselves in history because of that championship… So there shouldn't be no beef… Hey, I helped you get your third. You… pic.twitter.com/KGMfb4rzgJ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 20, 2026

Gilbert Arenas hopes former Cavaliers stars embrace bigger picture

Irving and James formed one of the NBA’s most successful duos during their three seasons together in Cleveland. The partnership reached its peak in 2016 when the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors to capture the franchise’s first championship.

Irving averaged 25.2 points in the NBA Finals and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer over Stephen Curry in the closing minute of Game 7, while James earned Finals MVP honors after leading both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

Arenas suggested that the passage of time often changes perspectives on past disagreements.

“At some point in time, the older you get, the wiser you get, they’re gonna realize we did good. Just in the moment of time when we were young and younger we are, selfish thoughts kicked in and it is what it is.”

He also pointed to outside influences as a common source of conflict.

“But most times, the beef starts because of outside influence. It gets you thinking that this person is doing this and saying this and you start feeling yourself on this situation… it happens all the time.”

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