Browns star Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the franchise that he has spent his entire career with.
But before he made the request, Garrett reached out to one individual in particular who knew a thing or two about leaving the Northeast, Ohio community.
LeBron James.
A man that left Cleveland on two separate occasions.
Garrett appeared on The Rich Eisen Show at Radio Row in New Orleans, and talked about his conversation that he had with the NBA superstar.
“He was not [disappointed],” Garrett said of James’ reaction to learning he was going to make a trade request.
“He had actually been reaching out to me to talk and get my side of things.
“He’s been a part of difficult times in his start of his career, being so frustrated with being so close to the pinnacle of his sport.
He just wanted to see exactly how I was feeling, where my head was at and if I need to talk through anything and if I was ready to consider any kind of move, he was there to communicate with and to lean on.”
Garrett said his conversation with James was to help make sure of himself and the decision he was going to make, knowing that James had gone through this process before.
Just making sure I made a logical decision, taking my time, just trying to take away the pressure of doing something like that,” Garrett said.
“Cleveland, really that area, Northeast, Ohio, has been his home. It feels like my home as well.”
While James left in free agency, twice, he never demanded a trade as Garrett has, but in the end, both stars wanted to leave one way or another.
James also brought a championship to the Cavaliers and Cleveland-area, something Garrett had so desperately wanted to do for Browns fans, but he can see the writing on the wall.
The Browns aren’t Super Bowl contenders, and with the Deshaun Watson contract (and injuries) blowing up in their face, they are light years away from contending again.
And Garrett doesn’t want to stick around for the rebuild this time around.
I just don’t think we’re aligned on where the team is going in the near future,” Garrett said.
For eight seasons, Garrett was Cleveland’s heart and soul, firmly establishing himself as one of the best defensive players in the league.
Six Pro Bowls, four All-Pros, and one Defensive Player of the Year award later, Garrett accomplished just about everything there is to accomplish as an individual.
Now he wants the team success.
Since the Browns drafted Garrett with the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft, Cleveland has gone 53-78-1.
They’ve made the postseason just twice in that span, and have one playoff win to show for.
And who knows, maybe Garrett will return one day and host a championship parade for the city of Cleveland.
After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a superstar of the area did exactly that.
