Looking Back: Revisiting the Cleveland Cavaliers 2017 blockbuster Kyrie Irving trade

After hearing of his trade demand, the Cleveland Cavaliers wasted no time and sent Kyrie Irving packing to Boston. Was it the right move?

The Boston Celtics will undoubtedly be the best team in the East behind Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving. That said, looking back, it was still the Cleveland Cavaliers best move to trade Irving for the load they received in return.

Unmatched by much of the competition, the Cavaliers sent Kyrie Irving to Boston and in return received Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, 2018 Brooklyn Nets first-round pick (Collin Sexton), and Ante Zizic.

This went down exactly one year ago today.

Over the course of the past season, those assets that Cleveland gained from Boston were, for the most part, flipped to further enhance their team.

Crowder was sent to Utah for Hood, Isaiah Thomas and a pick was sent to Los Angeles for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson and lastly, the Cavs sent Iman Shumpert to Sacramento for George Hill.

Albeit much more went into that enormous overhaul, the three transactions went down all on the same day right before the 2018 trade deadline.

While it might not seem like the Cavs got the better end of the deal, they might’ve seen the writing on the wall prior to Irving’s departure. Irving and James, who many thought had a brother-like relationship, didn’t quite see eye to eye on many things, creating a rift in the Cavs chemistry.

Without Irving, the Cavs, behind James, weren’t quite a championship team, getting swept in the 2018 NBA Finals, and with a legacy on the line, it was time for James to leave after fulfilling his promise this offseason.

James went to Los Angeles for more than just basketball. It was about his career after basketball, and he might’ve done that all along.

Let’s go back to Kyrie though.

He averaged 24.4 points per game, down 0.8 points from his last season in Cleveland. Additionally, Irving played just 60 games, missing the last chunk of the season and all of the postseason.

Now, with health issues, the Celtics will be forced to pay Irving big-time money this upcoming season. That’s if he wants them to though. He could team up in either New York or Brooklyn with one of his best friends, Jimmy Butler, who is also in a contract year.

So, Boston will be given a chance to make a run in the East, and when they come up short of a championship, Irving may dip on them. While their dynasty will still be sitting pretty, it would make the Cavs parting with Irving much more understandable.

However, if Irving signs long-term in Boston, the Cavs then got the far shorter end of the stick. Either way, it had to happen eventually.