Kyrie Irving trade to Celtics for Isaiah Thomas went from ‘in discussion’ to reality very quickly

The Celtics and Cavaliers rapidly completed a blockbuster Kyrie Irving trade that involved Isaiah Thomas going to the Cavaliers.

The deal in discussion earlier Tuesday night involved Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a future draft pick, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaroski. That draft pick ended up being Brooklyn’s unprotected 2018 first-round pick. That pick could turn into a high lottery pick.

According to Woj, the Celtics were trying to avoid dealing rookie No. 3 overall pick, Jayson Tatum. They did so and instead traded the Brooklyn pick.

Irving put in a trade request from the Cavs last month, and as of late July he hadn’t been in conversation with the team. A trade before the season was inevitable, but this was the first trade that gained any serious traction since his desire to move on from Cleveland has become public. It quickly got completed in a matter of hours.

The Celtics had some desire to move Thomas, who will become an unrestricted free agent after next season and likely will command somewhere close to a maximum contract. Thomas had a breakout last year on one end of the court, but defensively there are still concerns about whether he’d be worth that price.

Irving could be an upgrade at the point guard position, but the question still stands if he’d want to play with another superstar, though Gordon Hayward is no LeBron James.

Why this trade makes sense for Boston.

The Celtics were not willing to invest long-term money in a one-way player who would be 33 by the end of his deal. Irving, on the other hand, is just 24 years old, years before his prime, and has another year left on his contract before any long-term decisions would have to be made.

The Celtics were only in a position to even acquire a player as dynamic as Irving because of his desire to leave the Cavs was made public. Cleveland had little leverage if it can’t convince Irving to step on the court in October. The Celtics have been criticized for retaining assets and missing out on the top guys of the trade market, like Paul George and Jimmy Butler. This would more than make up for the past two summers. Adding Irving alongside Hayward and Al Horford makes the Celtics a serious contender in the East.

Why this trade makes sense for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers have the potential to both gain help to win now and prepare for the future without LeBron James. Thomas’ and Irving’s contracts are nearly $17 million apart, and to match, Boston added Crowder, a critical role player, to the deal.

The Celtics have also been sitting on a stockpile of draft picks, including two this season and three the next, on top of their own. Cleveland dug into the pot with the Nets’ 2018 pick, allowing them to compete with Thomas, while also providing a light at the end of the LeBron era should he leave.