The NBA world has spent almost the entire summer so far talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even though the Golden State Warriors won the 2017 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers have been the hottest topic this offseason. It all started when rumors and speculations about LeBron James' potential departure in 2018 started to grow, and it all reached a boiling point when Kyrie Irving requested a trade. Irving reportedly stated that he's tired of playing in LeBron James' shadow and his wish of being traded was granted earlier this week. The Cavaliers traded Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, a 2018 first round draft pick.
But what if we told you that Kyrie could've been traded to the Golden State Warriors?
What if Kyrie joined the Warriors?
It seems like the Cavaliers made the best possible deal for their All-Star point guard, as they received many valuable pieces from the Celtics in return. But before making that deal with Boston, the Cavaliers apparently explored their options thoroughly. It was reported that they even talked to the Golden State Warriors as they were looking to make a blockbuster deal. Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman called the Warriors and offered Kyrie Irving in exchange for Klay Thompson. Talk about a blockbuster deal. Can you imagine the reaction of NBA fans if Kyrie Irving joined the Warriors, and Klay Thompson became a Cleveland Cavalier?
According to Marc J. Spears, the Warriors weren't interested in making this deal and they declined it politely.
What could have been
It is still unclear why the Cavaliers seemed ready to send their All-Star point guard in exchange for Thompson, especially considering the rivalry between the Cavaliers and the Warriors. Golden State, on the other hand, made a reasonable decision as they decided not to give away their All-Star shooting guard.
Thompson is one of the best defenders in the NBA and his three-point shooting is second to none. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 22.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last season while shooting 41 percent from behind the arc. Also, it's safe to say that, had Irving joined the Warriors, he would've had tough time adjusting to their playing style.
Golden State already has two dominant ball handlers in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, and it would've made things a bit complicated for them with Irving potentially in the lineup. Irving is more of an iso-ball player who often likes to play one-on-one and that's just the opposite of what the Warriors have been doing for the past few years. Even though it didn't happen, this would've been one of the biggest trade deals in NBA history.
