A blockbuster trade between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers involving Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas has sent Twitter into a frenzy.
In what can only be described as the biggest blockbuster trade of this already-crazy NBA offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to send disgruntled point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for a package of players that includes All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas. The Cavaliers will also acquire forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick in the NBA Draft, which happens to be unprotected.
Irving, whom sources said wanted to be away from LeBron James and be the focal point of an offense, requested a trade in July, and rumors have swirled ever since on where the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year and four-time NBA All-Star might end up. The talk then started that LeBron may end up leaving Cleveland when he becomes a free agent following the upcoming season, fueling fire to rumors that Irving might just stay with the Cavs after all. Obviously, that’s not the case.
Irving has three years and $60 million left on his contract and heads to a Celtics team that he helped beat in the Eastern Conference Finals this past season, albeit one that will have an entirely new look this fall. With this trade, just four of the 14 players on Boston’s roster from a season ago remain.
However, let’s not pretend that this trade is completely one-sided. Kyrie Irving is a superstar player and there’s no getting around that. But let’s not forget that Isaiah Thomas was an MVP candidate this past season, averaging 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game compared to Irving’s 25.2 points and 5.8 assists per night.
Whichever way you want to look at it, this is a crazy deal that nobody saw coming until the last minute, and it will certainly make things interesting in the Eastern Conference. The beautiful part in this is that the Celtics and Cavaliers will open up the regular season against one another.
With a deal this big, especially involving the two teams that battled in the Eastern Conference Finals, Twitter was bound to react swiftly, and there are some gems already out in the world. Here’s a look at some of the best we’ve seen so far.
When you find out the Celtics just got Uncle Drew #Celtics 🍀 pic.twitter.com/lIUwyiaNli
— Ryan Blake (@blakeryan15) August 23, 2017
Who's going to bail out Lebron and take the big shot with the game on the line now? IT? Love? #Celtics ready to take over the East. pic.twitter.com/AellbMuBIr
— First Score Boston (@FirstScoreBOS) August 23, 2017
Celtics did a great job by acquiring Kyrie for IT #Celtics #Cavs pic.twitter.com/SMUHYmXGkJ
— Isaac Bilmes (@isaacbilmes) August 23, 2017
#Celtics fans not knowing how to react to the Kyrie trade for IT like... pic.twitter.com/cRmVXGa9DF
— WTP (@WTPsports) August 22, 2017
JR Smith walking into camp this season wondering how Kyrie Irving shrunk a couple inches #Cavs #Celtics pic.twitter.com/HORQggrRM7
— Matt Masi (@m_masi5) August 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/FirenzeMike/status/900160360828809216
Isaiah Thomas finding out that hes going to play with Lebron.#Cavs #Celtics pic.twitter.com/6fhVMemZRp
— Quinn (@Ghost_Wave) August 23, 2017
When cavs fan see kyrie got traded but remember that they still got Lebron, JR, drose, and IT #Cavs #Kyrie pic.twitter.com/CfCivRwtM3
— King Meat Beater🐐💯 (@jdjdbxbs) August 22, 2017
D. Wade is texting Lebron like.... See you soon! #Cavs pic.twitter.com/Awqr5SVzRb
— Danni,LMSW (@Morena_Bella29) August 22, 2017
"Who is: Isaiah Thomas?"#JeopardySports #Cavs pic.twitter.com/JrgDshUXx8
— Jeopardy! Sports (@JeopardySports) August 23, 2017
LeBron saying goodbye to Kyrie #Celtics #Cavs
— 😒 (@WinningVikings) August 22, 2017
https://t.co/nvlreGHVEF
https://twitter.com/JustinGMUhokie/status/900164140093911040
L I F E #KyrieIrving #IsaiahThomas pic.twitter.com/tV4Zk6ZMj5
— Tyler Tan (@IAmOG_T) August 22, 2017
Okay, this last one went up before the deal even went down but it’s pretty solid and likely pretty accurate.
ESPN: the Celtics are closing on a deal for kyrie Irving #NBA #KyrieIrving
— Baked Ziti 🍝 (@Zito215) August 22, 2017
Every Knicks fan: pic.twitter.com/9GQgqDJteD
Next: Dwyane Wade reacts to the Kyrie Irving trade
Reactions like this are going to be coming in all night long and I’ll know I’ll be following along for all the fun. What’s your reaction to the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas blockbuster? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to keep checking back in with FanSided as more details on this trade come in.