First, the idea that there is bad blood between Kyrie and LeBron isn't factual. I've done a ton of research on it. It's just a lazy narrative the media spun to hype the season.
I might do a video where I deep dive into this, but the real reason, in short, is that there were strong indicators coming out of LeBron's camp that he was bailing after this season. There was also major dysfunction throughout the organization. Bron apparently had a terrible relationship with ownership. Their GM and owner didn't get along. Meanwhile the team was shopping Kyrie (something LeBron wasn't supportive of) trying to find any method to get Bron to commit long term. Ugly situation. It wasn't about Kyrie wanting to be "the man" on his "own team", it was about getting the heck out of Cleveland before he was stuck there after LeBron left. Asking out when he did allowed him to be portrayed as a bold and confident anti-durant who picked the harder path. Had he waited until after LeBron left, he'd be seen as a coward and quitter. Smart business move all-around.
Everything I've seen and heard from those two suggests to me there is a ton of mutual respect and love between the two. All you had to do is watch them on the bench during the all-star game to see those two are close. Does this look like bad blood to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0DlEHGABFIIt's
HIGHLY UNLIKELY if not utterly impossible, but not unthinkable that Bron would join Kyrie in Boston.
A simple idea would be imagining a sign-and-trade where we ship out Hayward's 30 mil or Horford's 30 mil. That's brutal to imagine (especially Hayward), but Danny is a brutal GM.
Really can't imagine Hayward being the one to go, but you can't totally rule out Horford given the age. You'd be swapping out one old guy for another. You could say, "no way Cavs would want Horford if they are rebuilding" and perhaps you're right. But honestly, if Boston REAAALLLY wanted to free up the necessary cap space, they could just salary dump Horford on a team like Indiana (they have 30+ mil free) and take back nothing. Worst-case you also give up a pick. Horford is only signed through next season with a player option for 1 more after that.
Then, if you let Marcus Smart walk - suddenly Boston only has about 72 million on the books. With the cap set around 102 mil, Boston would now be in position to just offer Bron close to max money.
Crazy, I know.
Especially crazy because then who the heck plays center? You'd have Kyrie, Brown, Hayward, Tatum and LeBron. That's a weird line-up.
So just tack on the ridiculous (probably smokescreen) rumor we want to trade up for Mo Bamba. Worst-case Boston moves Brown for Bamba. Suddenly you have Kyrie, Hayward, Tatum, LeBron, Bamba.
So yeah, it's insane, but not THAT insane. You never know with Ainge.