Are there any winners or losers in the Kyrie Irving trade to Boston? For those of you who haven’t heard the news because you haven’t connected with technology, Kyrie is going to the Boston Celtics. In return the Cleveland Cavaliers are getting Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic. In addition, Cleveland is getting Brooklyn’s first round pick during the next draft. The Cavs definitely did well in this trade. At least in the short term. And it would seem that the Celtics may be setting themselves up for some future wins, so both sides seem to be winning with this deal.
Unfortunately, once it became public that Kyrie wanted out of Cleveland, they lost their leverage. They went looking for some young talent in a deal, like Devin Booker or Jayson Tatum, but were shot down at every turn. It looked like they were going to have to settle for a lesser package or bring Kyrie back to training camp and tell him to get along with LeBron.
Then this deal happened, and it’s a clear win for the Cavaliers. Cleveland lands an All-NBA point guard whose production next season will be close to what Kyrie was providing. And Thomas plays with more of a chip on his shoulder. In addition, the Cavaliers added something that they’ve been desperately needing. A guy who can knock down jumpers and cover the likes of Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant. And they did that with Crowder. One more thing – the Cavaliers will get what will be a higher pick in the draft. This trade will give them some added youth and athleticism, and they will still be the team to beat in the East.
Boston is also winning in this trade. Maybe not in the short term, but definitely over the next few years. Thomas and Kyrie put up comparable numbers last season. But Kyrie is capable of defending. Kyrie is a couple of years younger than Thomas. However, in giving up Crowder and the Brooklyn pick, the Celtics surrendered their best trade assets. Cleveland is still going to be better than Boston in this next season, but that puts Boston in a position to be even better in a couple of years.
Kyrie Irving is also a winner in this. He wanted out of Cleveland, and he was able to get it. And he still landed on a team that contends in the playoffs. In Boston, he will be the most marketable player and while the team has other stars, none are the kind of dominant force that is LeBron. Which means, Kyrie will get plenty of time to shine. This trade doesn’t mean that Kyrie will be a one man show, but he will definitely have the opportunity to shine.
Fans of the game are also winners in this trade. Opening night will see the Boston Celtrics visit the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s happening October 17, so put that on the calendar. Obviously, Kyrie is going to get booed, but that’s par for the course when it comes to sports. Look at LeBron when he left Cleveland. And he’s the golden child. Isaiah Thomas, if his hip is healthy, will be looking to put on a show for the new fans, so it can only be spectacular. Only time will tell how this will really play out, but it seems like this is a win-win for everyone involved.
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