Blockbuster deal: Irving to Boston for Thomas
Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas (4) lunges to take possession against Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving (2) in file photo.
CLEVELAND – Kyrie Irving was tired of being teammates with LeBron James.
Now he has to figure out how to beat him.
Cleveland’s All-Star guard, who asked owner Dan Gilbert to trade him earlier this summer, was dealt Tuesday night to the Boston Celtics for fellow All-Star Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected 2018 first-round draft pick.
“It’s extremely rare to trade for a 25-year-old player that’s done what he’s done, the offensive weapon that he is,” Celtics president Danny Ainge said. “We feel like his best basketball is still ahead of him.
“We have a player that’s proven to be a sure thing. We know how unpredictable the draft can be. You do pay a heavy price for a player of that age and that caliber.”
Irving, whose late 3-pointer helped Cleveland win the 2016 NBA championship – and the city’s first title since 1964 – is on his way to Boston, where he’ll join a Celtics team that lost to the Cavs in last season’s conference finals.
And as fate will have it, the Cavs will host the Celtics in their season opener on Oct. 17.
“Of course we know who our competition is, and we know who are biggest threats are each year,” Ainge said.
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