The Cleveland Cavaliers have ruled over the Eastern Conference since the return of LeBron James in 2014. It would make sense, with that as the backdrop, for the team to “run it back” with a similar roster construction for 2017-2018, even after a relatively decisive NBA Finals defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. However, the trade request from Kyrie Irving that captivated the entire NBA in July and August presented a nearly impossible situation for the Cavaliers and first-time general manager Koby Altman.
In short, the Cavs were staring down the barrel of James’ free agency in 2018 with a second star that clearly wanted out of town and an apparent realization that extracting full value in an Irving trade would be extremely difficult. Fast forward to late August, though, and Cleveland did the unthinkable in seemingly maintaining their present competency while simultaneously upgrading for the future in a real way.
The Cavs pulled the trigger on a deal that sent Irving to the Boston Celtics, the team’s chief rival in the East, in exchange for a package of Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 2018 first-round pick by way of the Brooklyn Nets. While this is a highly nuanced deal for both sides (and one that is made more interesting by their proximity in projected standings), the overarching theme is that the Cavaliers did better in terms of value than virtually anyone could have predicted just days earlier.
Thomas is the clear centerpiece of the immediate return and the diminutive point guard is coming off a season in which he garnered All-NBA honors while garnering real love in the NBA MVP race. It should be noted that Thomas is battling a hip ailment that could cost him time during the 2017-2018 season and that certainly is a concern for his new team. Still, the 5’9 guard averaged nearly 29 points per game with a true shooting percentage north of 60 percent a season ago and Thomas’ offensive ability isn’t in particular question at this point in time.
When comparing Irving and Thomas, it becomes quite clear that the two guards present similar strengths. Irving has never put together a singularly impressive regular season performance in the way that Thomas did in 2016-2017 but, at the same time, the former Duke star has a penchant for the dramatic and routinely elevates his game to preposterous levels under the bright lights of the playoffs. Both are defensively challenged, at least at times, but Thomas is a tangible downgrade on that end of the floor, if only due to the size concerns that can manifest in a big way in the postseason and against high-level competition.
Is Kyrie Irving vastly better than Isaiah Thomas? Well, he wasn’t last season. Thomas’ age will become a concern in the near future, especially given his size, and he is under contract for only one more campaign. With that said, Irving’s additional year of control (and even a reported willingness to re-sign in his new location) should factor in and it would be very easy to argue that the younger player is also the better contract asset as a result. The difference on the floor in 2017-2018, though, will likely be dictated by Thomas and his ability to replicate what was a career season while also recovering from a perilous injury.
It is important to note, though, that the other factors in the deal are tremendously pivotal. Jae Crowder is a legitimate, two-way player that presents Cleveland with the kind of contributor that is vital in a league that emphasizes that position to a great degree. Throw in the fact that teams can never have enough wing defenders (that can also operate functionally on offense) against the all-powerful Warriors and Crowder’s tremendous contract (three seasons at less than $22 million total) and he is a significant part of the deal.
The kicker, however, to the deal is the inclusion of Brooklyn’s unprotected pick. With all due to respect to Zizic (who is a reasonable center prospect) and even Crowder (given the contract), the ultimate pendulum swing of this trade could hinge on the 2018 first round selection. The Nets are not expected to be overly competitive this season and, while they may avoid the league’s basement given an improved roster, no one expects Brooklyn to seriously compete for a playoff spot in the depleted East. Will the pick be No. 1 overall? Probably not, but that is certainly a possibility and the likelihood, given what we currently know, is that the Cavaliers will be making a top-five selection in June as a result of this swap.
In an overall sense, this is the kind of trade return that Cavs fans could have expected for Irving before the news of his trade request came to light. Intuitively, that kind of revelation would almost certainly lower a player’s value but, in this case, the Cavaliers essentially belted a grand slam in recouping a proven All-Star in Thomas, a cost-controlled starter in Crowder, a talented flier in Zizic and one of the best available draft assets in the entire NBA without any level of protection.
Of course, there is some downside to the move and that should be noted. The worst case scenario involves Thomas struggling to integrate to his new surroundings, whether due to injury or fit issues next to James and in a new system. Crowder is rather malleable and less of a concern but, if Thomas scuffles and Irving blows up (in a positive way) in Boston, the Cavaliers might not be evaluated in a positive way nationally. With that on the table, the presence of the pick bridges the gap quite a bit but, in this case, the “grade” of this deal might shift.
Then, there is the LeBron James angle of this move. Irving was signed through the 2018-2019 season and Thomas is, well, not. James will be the highest-profile free agent in the universe on July 1 and, until his thoughts are known in the public sphere, it is difficult to gauge how the best player on the planet feels about this swap. At the same time, there is a “trap door” in this trade in that Thomas comes off the books after the season and, if James leaves, Cleveland could quickly pivot to a rebuild that would include a top-flight 2018 pick, Kevin Love, Jae Crowder (a potential trade piece) and a reasonable modicum of flexibility.
In Cleveland, everything revolves around LeBron and that hasn’t changed. The calculus has to shift a bit, however, in that the Cavaliers could not rationally act with no alternative in the even that James exercises his free agent right to land elsewhere. Make no mistake, it will be devastating for the organization if that occurs but this deal provides real cover in that event with Crowder and the pick (if nothing else) and that makes it a virtual no-brainer for the Cavaliers. If James returns, the decision on Thomas’ next contract will be a challenging one but that is a bridge that can be crossed with the ultimate Swiss Army knife back in the fold and that lessens the burden.
Boston might be thrilled with their return, even amid jokes about Danny Ainge’s sudden willingness to sell the farm for a player that might not be quite as effective as Paul George or Jimmy Butler. From Cleveland’s standpoint, it almost doesn’t matter. Yes, the Celtics could conceivably improve in a playoff sense with the supernova ability of Irving but the loss of Crowder stings the Cavs’ biggest rival and, if Thomas recaptures the magic he found a season ago, the Cavaliers remain the clear Eastern Conference favorites while also setting things up, at least to a degree, for the future.
Being pressured into moving Kyrie Irving was never an ideal situation for the Cleveland Cavaliers but, with all things considered, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which the organization could have done better.
