The news about the Kyrie Irving trade has already been reported over the past few days around the NBA, but now we will take a look at what it might mean for the Cleveland Cavaliers' future. The Cavs received several good pieces in this trade and some would say that, even though they lost their second-best player, they still won this deal. Boston sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, Brooklyn's 2017 first-round draft pick and Miami's 2020 second-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving. Isaiah Thomas averaged 28.9 points per game last season, but many believe that the addition of Jae Crowder could be huge and even more important for Cleveland next season.
Who is Jae Crowder?
Jae Crowder is just what the Cavs needed. At 6-foot-6, Crowder has good size as he's able to defend both the shooting guard and the small forward position. He is regarded as a great defender - exactly what the Cavs were missing last year. It is still left to be seen whether or not Crowder will be in the starting lineup for the Cavs, but he'll likely guard the opponent's best player any time he's on the floor. He was one of the key players in Boston's success last season and the Cavs will also benefit from having him on the roster. Other than being a tough defender and a great teammate, Crowder's offensive game has evolved over the years. He went from scoring 4.6 points per game with the Mavericks during the 2013/2014 season to scoring 13.9 points per game last season with the Celtics.
He also added 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season while shooting 39 percent from the three-point line. His elite defense and his improved three-point shooting could also mean that the Cavaliers will consider trading Kevin Love in the coming period. While this might sound a bit unreal at the moment, ESPN's Dave McMenamin thinks it could actually happen.
Will Cavs trade Love?
After it was officially announced that the Cavs and the Celtics finalized the Kyrie Irving trade, Dave McMenamin of ESPN wrote in his report: "The addition of Crowder also could make Love expendable, allowing Cleveland to dangle either the All-Star stretch forward, the Brooklyn pick, or both, on the market in February to make a push to revamp the roster before the postseason." Love was mentioned several times this offseason, and even last season, as a player that the Cavaliers could potentially trade.
He joined Cleveland in 2014 and last season was his best so far with the Cavaliers. Love averaged 19.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in 60 games played last season. He shot 37 percent from behind the arc and made the Eastern Conference All-Star team, but even so, his future in Cleveland is still uncertain. He was often criticized last season for his poor defense and many believe that he doesn't show up in key moments and big games. It's hard to tell whether or not he will be traded but one thing is for sure - it is very possible.
