Kyrie Irving's trade rumors made the last NBA offseason very interesting and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended up trading him to the Boston Celtics. It seems that the trade benefited both sides, but the Celtics probably got a better end of the deal as they received a generational talent in Irving. Cleveland got a few great pieces in return, but it will take a while for them to fully benefit from the trade.

The trade is now concluded and there is no going back in time and fixing it, but the Cavaliers could have made a much better trade in the offseason.

The latest report indicates that the reigning Eastern Conference champions could have acquired Paul George from the Indiana Pacers, but they didn't want to trade Kyrie Irving. Unfortunately, the superstar point guard demanded a trade shortly after, making it clear he doesn't want to play for the Cavaliers anymore.

Paul George for Kyrie Irving

Both Paul George and Kyrie Irving wanted to leave their respective teams and play somewhere else. George was not happy with the lack of playoff success in Indiana, while Irving was tired of playing in LeBron James' shadow. At the end, George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he eventually teamed up with Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. On the other side, Irving was sent to Boston, far away from LeBron.

Things could have been much different, however, if the Cleveland Cavaliers accepted the Pacers' offer. Indiana offered George for Irving, but Cleveland made it clear that the point guard wasn't available.

After George was traded to the Thunder, it took Kyrie Irving about a week to ask for a trade to another team. Many Cavaliers fans believe that the team made a huge mistake by trading Irving, but considering that the guard didn't want to stay on the team, they probably did the right thing.

George would have been great in Cleveland

Paul George is averaging 22.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with the Thunder this season. After 13 games, the Thunder are 6-7 and it appears that they are still figuring out the best way to use their newly-acquired players. The Cavaliers are struggling too, but things would have been much better if they received George for Irving.

One of the biggest problems the Cavaliers are dealing with are injuries, and Isaiah Thomas, who was included in the trade with Boston, will be out for at least one more month. Paul George would have been a great addition to the roster, but it's all over now and Cleveland will have to find another way to bounce back and start winning games.