Kyrie Irving got his wish. Out of pretty much nowhere, the Cavaliers and Celtics pulled off a blockbuster trade on Tuesday: Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and ... the Nets’ unprotected 2018 first round pick. The Cavs traded their own former No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft for the No. 60 player in that draft, plus a potential top pick next year.
How the Kyrie Irving trade could go wrong for the Cavaliers and Celtics
Good morning. We have that and more in Wednesday’s special NBA newsletter.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
On the surface, this deal really works for both teams. Thomas was due for a giant raise next summer, while Irving is (for now) on an old salary cap deal. He’s also three years younger. The Cavaliers had to trade Irving left training camp turn into an ultra-awkward standoff between Irving and LeBron James, the legend Irving openly disrespected by requesting a trade. Getting an All-NBA scoring guard, a tough wing defender, a promising young big, and a premium draft pick, it’s hard to imagine Cleveland doing better anywhere else.
That said, this could go terribly wrong for both sides. What if the Cavs fall to the Warriors, the Celtics, or another East team, and James and Thomas both leave as free agents in 2018, Zizic doesn’t pan out, and the Nets’ pick ends up in the Nos. 7-10 range? That makes for a rough future.
What if Irving is no upgrade on Thomas, and in fact puts off the other Celtics, new and old, who bristle at Irving’s all offense, no defense style? What if supreme vengeance from James and Thomas keep Boston right where it stood last season: the second-best team in the East, but with no real path to catch No. 1?
Credit the teams for shaking things up. Something tells me the status quo of the NBA wouldn’t crumble, though. But it sure will be entertaining to watch.
We’re going to focus entirely on Irving-Thomas links in Wednesday’s newsletter. A variety of your pleasures will return on Thursday.
Guess what the first game of the NBA season will be? Go ahead, guess. Yep: Celtics vs. Cavaliers. Irving vs. James. Thomas vs. the latest team to give up on him. Unbelievable.
Mike Prada has five reasons everyone is a winner in this trade.
Sam Amick reports that this deal is still all about James’ silence on his future.
Irving is reportedly “thrilled” with the deal, and the Celtics believe they can sign him long-term. Just don’t let Gordon Hayward take too many shots!
There’s one point of hard evidence that Irving is happy: he reportedly waived his $3 million trade kicker. He gave up $3 million to get traded away from the Greatest Player of His Generation. What a world.
James expressed gladness at the fact that Cavaliers fans are showing Irving grace on his way out instead of, you know, burning his jersey.
Everyone is saying Thomas’ hip will fully recover. (You may remember that it cost him playoff games. He did not have surgery.) Yet the hip is apparently one of the reasons Boston decided to move him. Hmmm.
NBA 2K18 is about to come out. Irving is on the cover in a Cavaliers jersey. Ouch!
Rudy Gobert remains the saltiest Frenchman alive.
By the way, the Cavs are pretty sure they’ll get Dwyane Wade once he completes a buyout with the Bulls.
Jae Crowder could be as key for the Cavs as Isaiah Thomas
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