Kyrie Irving Trade: Cavs ready to complete trade with late draft pick
After days of deliberation, the Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly ready to sign off on the proposed Kyrie Irving trade with the Boston Celtics. The Cavs are seeking an additional late first-round pick or second-round considerations.
The teams reached a stalemate after All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas' physical exam with the Cavaliers on Friday. Last Tuesday, Boston agreed to send a package of Thomas, Brooklyn Nets' 2018 first-round pick, Jae Crowder and Croatian centre Ante Zizic to Cleveland in exchange for Irving. However, the Cavs threatened to veto the trade without necessary revisions to the original offer.
After the Cavs inquired about possibly acquiring either Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed on Tuesday that Dan Gilbert's team would be satisfied with an additional late draft pick.
"The Cavs are no longer seeking one of the Celtics' top young players, but they are still determined to land one of Boston's first-round picks as compensation, and the conversation has included second-round considerations, too, league sources said," Wojnarowski wrote in a report published Tuesday.
Kyrie Irving trade could be finalised by Thursday
According to league rules, the teams have until 10 a.m. ET Wednesday (Thursday midnight AEST) to report and submit to a physical for the players involved in trade. The deadline to pass the physical is at 10 a.m. ET, Thursday (Friday midnight AEST). They also have the option of mutually agreeing to delay the process.
The Cavs have good reason to worry about Thomas' health. The 5-foot-9 guard was forced to sit out of most of the Eastern Conference Finals series after an aggravating hip injury. On Tuesday, however, Thomas dispelled fears about his future and said he was ready to shine for Cleveland in the upcoming season.
"There's never been an indication that I wouldn't be back, and there's never been an indication that this is something messing up my career. Maybe I am not going to be back as soon this season as everyone wants me to be, but I'm going to be back, and I'm going to be the same player again. No doctor has told me anything different than that," Thomas told ESPN in an interview.
Thomas, 28, averaged a career-high tally of 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game for the Boston Celtics last season. The point guard finished fifth in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) ballot behind Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James.
