It is well-known by now that Kyrie Irving wants out of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics' isaiah thomas wants a max contract extension next summer. What if the two All-Stars swapped places? This possibility seems less far-fetched today. Former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin went on ESPN's The Jump on Monday and added the Celtics as one of Irving's preferred destinations.
Irving interested in the Celtics
"He went to Dan Gilbert privately, told him that he thought he would be happier somewhere else," Griffin said about Irving.
He went on to applaud Irving's courage and decision to find a solution rather than keep silent and let his discontent affect the Cavaliers' locker room.
"This is a guy whose list included really good coaching situations – Brad Stevens and Popovich." With this statement, Griffin let the world know that the Celtics were also part of Irving's shortlist of favored teams.
Irving's interest in joining the San Antonio Spurs, as well as the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves was reported last month. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported a couple of weeks ago that the Celtics and Suns were the two teams “with the best ability to make deals for Irving.” Now, this latest news opens a window of opportunity for the Celtics, a team that possesses plenty of valuable young players and draft picks that would intrigue any team.
Will Celtics offer Thomas the max?
What the Celtics also have is an All-Star who will enter his final year of his contract and wants a max deal. Isaiah Thomas, 28, finished fifth in the MVP race last season, a season where he was able to make a breakthrough and surprise the NBA world. However, the undersized point guard is a defensive liability, and the Celtics remain hesitant to offer him all that money and hand him the reins of the team in the coming years.
Irving for Thomas
The Celtics are in a position to offer Thomas in a deal for Irving. If the Celtics are unsure about committing to Thomas, then they should trade him right now. The longer they wait, the more likely it is that they will receive weaker offers. What they should certainly avoid is to let him leave in free agency and get nothing in return.
It would be interesting to see the two teams who most recently reached the Eastern Conference Finals make a trade. LeBron James could finally have a reason to stay in Cleveland next year if Isaiah can commit to the Cavaliers for a longer period. The 29 points per game Thomas averaged last season would come in handy in Cleveland. Playing alongside James would allow Thomas to buy some rest and grow into a frightening weapon off the ball, like what Allen Iverson, another undersized star, learned to do.
On the other hand, Irving would get the chance to be the face of the Celtics and still be surrounded by great teammates like Gordon Hayward who would help him fight for a spot in the NBA finals on a regular basis. We can only hope to see two NBA stars remain in the Eastern Conference.