The Cavaliers brought in a great haul for Irving in a market where returns for stars were diminishing.
The Cavaliers had little leverage in the Kyrie Irving trade after he made it clear he wanted out in early July. But despite everyone knowing Irving was going to be moved, the Cavaliers still managed to haul in a big return. By trading Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Brooklyn’s unprotected 2018 first-round pick, and Ante Zizic, the Cavaliers are still ready to win now, but have also improved their team for the future.
The Cavs’ front office maintained that if they couldn’t make things work with Irving, they wanted veterans who could contribute now, prospects for the future, and a good draft pick in return. They managed to check off every single item on their list. And they managed to pull that off in a market where teams have been hesitant to trade for star players.
Cleveland gets an all-star to help right now
While leading the Celtics to the No. 1 seed in the East last season, Thomas was one of the best players at his position. He was the second-leading scorer in the league last season with 28.3 points per game and led the league in fourth-quarter scoring while maintaining a 63 percent true shooting mark.
Thomas may be 29 years old and only 5’9 at best, but his production over the last few years speaks for itself. He’s a good player the Cavaliers could build around moving forward should both sides agree on a long-term commitment.
The Cavaliers will have to back up the armored truck to keep Thomas, like the Celtics were supposed to before trading him. Then, Cleveland will have a year to see how he meshes with LeBron James before deciding what to do next.
Thomas might be older than Irving, but he’s still ready to compete at an all-star level right now. Plus, Kevin Love is still on the roster.
Crowder is also one of the best 3-and-D wing players. He’s a great catch-and-shoot player who should thrive playing next to James and Thomas. Crowder’s versatility is his biggest asset; he’ll allow James to shift to a small-ball power forward on offense while he guards the opposing four on defense.