Trade Talk: Kyrie vs. Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Etc.

I definitely didn't see this one coming, even if the signs were already kinda there.  Last week I wrote an article about players I feel got disrespected players this offseason, and if I had foresaw this trade, especially considering that it seemed like for a time the Celtics were considering drafting Markelle Fultz, I would have definitely added Isaiah Thomas to that list.  I mean this is someone who has carried the Celtics, who were utterly garbage just a few short seasons ago, into Championship contention, is winning NBPA awards, on the verge of developing into a perennial All-Star averaging damn near 30ppg, didn't even demand a trade nor threaten to leave as a free agent but got traded anyway, and yet Boston fans are still burning his jersey.  It's treatment like this that sometimes contributes to why NBA players and other professional athletes, when they become free agents, seem so unsympathetic of their fanbases.  Here are the details of the trade, as reported by Yahoo Sports:

Boston Celtics Get:	Cleveland Cavaliers Get:
Kyrie Irving	Isaiah Thomas
	Jae Crowder
	Ante Zizic (?) 2018 First-Round Draft Pick

BOSTON CELTICS: C

PROS

1.  They get Kyrie Irving, the only pure point-guard who is arguably a better scorer than Isaiah Thomas.

CONS
 
1.  In addition to losing Kelly Olynk and trading Avery Bradley this offseason the Celtics have now practically gutted their team, even though they were apparently only one (star) player away from winning a Championship.

2.  Even though the Celtics now have arguably a superteam they're not so good that they'll dominate right off the bat, especially since they lost most of their key role players.

3.  Factions of the Celtic fanbase have shown how unappreciative they are, considering that between the eras of the KG-Pierce-Allen superteam and the arrival of Isaiah Thomas they were one of the worst teams in the Association.

4.  It's easy to understand what the Celtics are doing as far as selling tickets but hard to comprehend how committed they are to actually winning a Championship, i.e. building a team that can actually beat Golden State, since in order to do so a team has to be as good, if not better, defensively than they are offensively.

5.  The idea of trading away Thomas, who recently had hip surgery, because of his injury is only semi-valid in this case considering that Irving has an even worst injury history.

6.  I don't believe being traded away to Boston will grant Irving's wish of getting "his own team", unless the Celtics really are stupid enough to put all of the talent they've thus far amassed under the leadership of Irving, who still really hasn't proven sh*t besides being one of the best one-on-one players in the NBA.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: A

1.  They get rid of Kyrie Irving, who recently staged one of the greatest demonstrations of malcontent against an organization in NBA history.

2.  They got two players who can now compete against Golden State - and potentially another next year - in exchange for one.

3.  They handled Irving's trade request professionally despite a high level of social-media pressure, as in getting dissed in the spotlight often make people respond stupidly in return.

4.  They arguably haven't done anything this entire offseason to make the team better - until now.  It's not always the early bird that catches the worm.

5.  If the 2018 Draft pick they acquired from Boston via Brooklyn winds up being in the top three, as it potentially could, then they can add other skilled and/or popular player to convince Lebron to re-sign with the Cavs next offseason, and hopefully having Irving publicly shun him and other experiences have taught him hard enough lessons to not dis the incoming, talented rookie like he did Andrew Wiggins.

6.  We all know that Kyrie Irving can hit clutch shots, even in the biggest games, but even in that regard Thomas may be better.

CONS

1.  The way Kyrie Irving demanded a trade really didn't make the organization look good as in a place other players would want to be, but, surprisingly to me, as proven by the aforementioned NBPA Players Voice Awards, Lebron James is still considered the player his peers would most like to play with.

2.  If Thomas doesn't completely recover from his injury this may prove to be a bad deal.

3.  D-Rose probably isn't going to get as much playing time, but who knows.

CONCLUSION

I don't think I've ever seen two rivals at the top of their Conference make a trade like this.  The Celtics are one of the most intelligent teams in the NBA, right up there with the likes of the Heat and Spurs, but right now they seem a little starstruck to say the least.