It was supposed to be a done deal -- and then it wasn't. The Cleveland Cavaliers were set to acquire Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Nets' 2018 first-round pick in exchange for All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, but, as with the game of basketball itself, this would not be an easy exchange, and drama would ensue.
It was later reported that the Cavaliers wanted more from the Boston Celtics on account of Isaiah Thomas and the hip injury that caused him to exit the 2017 NBA Playoffs early -- extinguishing the hopes of the Boston faithful for a potential championship run.
While some questioned the Cavaliers' front office for potentially dealing their All-Star player to a conference rival, the bigger question came in the form of Isaiah Thomas' health.
Isaiah Thomas could miss significant time next season
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, Isaiah Thomas could potentially miss most of the 2017-2018 season. For his part, Thomas spoke with ESPN and said in so many words that he is confident that he will be able to return to form, though the timetable at this point is unknown. That being said, perhaps the Cleveland Cavaliers are being smart and asking for another trade piece as a form of insurance just incase Thomas does not pan out for next season.
How much is LeBron James' future factoring in?
It is widely known that this could very well be LeBron James' final year in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform. While there was certainly hope at one point in time that Kyrie Irving would pick up the mantle for the franchise in the post-LeBron James era should he ultimately decide to leave, that scenario is clearly out.
That said, the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be looking at this trade as a rebuild for the future, of sorts. As such, it would make sense for them to want to add on a young player like Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. While that price tag may prove to be too steep for the Boston Celtics moving forward -- even for the talent of Kyrie Irving -- it makes sense from Cleveland's perspective that they would be looking for more assets.
With Kyrie Irving on the move and LeBron James likely to do the same, Cleveland does not want to be left holding the bag with an injured Isaiah Thomas and role-players, even if the Nets' pick turns out to be a top prospect. Cleveland has grown accustomed to making deep playoff runs and contending for a title in the years since LeBron James has returned, and they will not want to give that up, while losing their top players in the process.
