Kyrie Irving is headed to Boston. The Cavs all-star guard, who asked team owner Dan Gilbert to trade him earlier this year, has been sent to the Celtics for fellow all-star and a couple of other players. WKSU Sports Commentator Terry Pluto talked about the trade.
Pluto said the trade to Boston is surprising because the Celtics are the team that will give the Cavs the most challenge in the . He thought Irving would go to the West. But overall, Pluto says he likes many of the parts of the deal, including the acquisition of Boston鈥檚 Isaiah Thomas, who Pluto says fans will 鈥渁bsolutely love.鈥�
鈥�(He鈥檚 a) five-foot-nine point guard who just has an enduring smile. He鈥檚 not as good a player as Kyrie Irving, but he averaged 25 points last year,鈥� he said.
But Pluto is quick to point out that Thomas鈥� inclusion on the team does bring up one concern in particular: his history with hip injuries. Thomas missed the last three games of last year鈥檚 Eastern Conference with a hip injury, and Pluto said he鈥檚 hearing 鈥渨hispers鈥� the player may still struggle with the injury early in Training Camp to the early season.
Kyrie in a Celtics uniform
The other concern is with the Celtics who may become a better team with Irving on the roster, threatening the Cavs鈥� chance at another title.
鈥淏efore this trade, I felt the Cavs still had, by far, the premier team in the Eastern Conference and that they would return to the NBA Finals鈥︹�� he said.
He said that while the deal is currently a 鈥済amble trade,鈥� but said the addition of a first round pick for next year鈥檚 draft is an important part of the deal. He said it might be a high pick for the team.
Cleveland, moving past Kyrie
Despite fans being upset by the future absence of Irving, after Irving requested to be traded out of Cleveland.
鈥淥nce you have a player like Irving, who says he doesn鈥檛 want to play with LeBron James鈥ays he wants to be the focal point of a team鈥ou got to trade him somewhere, because basketball is a 鈥榗hemistry sport,鈥欌�� he said.
Cleveland fans will be further put to the test on October 17th, when the Cavs and Celtics are scheduled to play against each other.
鈥淒o you think Kyrie鈥檚 going to get cheered?鈥� Pluto jokingly asked. 鈥淣o he鈥檚 not!鈥�
But he does hope that Irving does not get the same treatment as LeBron did when he came back to Cleveland as a team member of the Miami Heat years ago, which Pluto called 鈥渙ne of the ugliest atmospheres鈥� he ever experienced. He said Irving deserves better.
鈥淩emember: this is the guy who hit the shot in Game 7 of 2016 to help bring a title to Cleveland. That鈥檚 something Cavs fans should always remember.鈥�
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