The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers met it was a cordial meeting between Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball and Cavs vet LeBron James, where the biggest intrigue is what James said to Ball in the postgame handshakes.
Now, the scene will be very different. Thursday’s trade between the Lakers and Cavaliers brings Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland, but more importantly it got Isaiah Thomas out of Northeastern Ohio and to LA. In just over a month, Thomas seemed to clash with everyone on the Cavs, from coach Ty Lue to Kevin Love and maybe the entire Cavaliers team.
So after the initial surprise of the move, and the end of the brief Isaiah Thomas Era in Cleveland, the next question on everyone’s mind was simple: when do the Cavs and Lakers play again? Well, if Isaiah Thomas wants revenge on his now-former team he won’t have to wait long.
https://twitter.com/benhoffmannyt/status/961653881112612864
What the Cavaliers look like by March is anyone’s guess, but you can assume they’ll be at least a bit better defensively. Cleveland has really struggled on the defensive end this season, and Thomas’ presence in the lineup the last 15 games did not help.
LeBron James is famously good in so-called “revenge games,” but Thomas certainly has a lot to play for with the Lakers now. Traded twice in less than a year, he’s still looking for a home. And now he’s almost certainly looking for a little payback.
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