The Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally completed the trade for Kyrie Irving.
The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a trade that would send Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. In return, the Cavaliers would receive a package that included Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and the Brooklyn Nets unprotected first-round pick in 2018.
Up until Wednesday night, the trade had been held up because of Isaiah Thomas’ hip injury that he suffered during the playoffs last season. The Cavaliers sought further compensation that, depending on what reports you read, ranged from Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown to a first or second-round pick.
In the end, the two sides came to agreement ahead of the Thursday 10 a.m. deadline.
Boston is sending Cleveland a 2020 second-round pick to complete the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 31, 2017
The Celtics will second a 2020 second-round pick via Miami to complete this trade, and make everything official. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics wouldn’t budge any more on the deal.
The Celtics not budging on a draft pick three years away is classic Danny Ainge, because prior to this trade changing the landscape of the Eastern Conference all you ever heard from the Celtics camp was that whomever they were in trade talks with “wanted too much.”
Nonetheless, Ainge finally pulled the trigger and landed the big name Boston fans have been waiting a couple years for. First it was Blake Griffin, then it was Jimmy Butler and Gordon Hayward. Kyrie Irving isn’t a bad consolation prize (and the Celtics also got Hayward this offseason anyway).
Next: Crowder is the role player the Cavs needed
The Celtics are primed to win now, and the Cavaliers made their future a little bit brighter should LeBron James decide to take his talents elsewhere next offseason. LeBron has already stated he’s not waiving his no-trade clause at any point this year.
The Cavaliers have their sights set on the NBA Finals, and that’s it (you would too if you had LeBron). It was a disaster in the Finals when LeBron had to leave the floor for even just a couple minutes. They’ve now bolstered their bench to compete with the Warriors’ bench. They’ll most likely have to get past an old friend first to get back to the Finals, though.