A Cavs player reportedly called Danny Ainge a ‘thief’ over the Kyrie Irving trade
The impact of last summer's blockbuster trade will be felt for years to come.
In the midst of the Eastern Conference Finals, a reported quote from a Cavaliers player sums up the lingering thought about the Kyrie Irving trade to the Celtics last summer.
Relayed in a column from The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd, an unnamed Cavalier reportedly told Lloyd, “Danny Ainge is a fu—– thief.” The remark came following “one of many particularly ugly winter losses,” per Lloyd.
The context of the quote is clear: Cleveland never replaced Irving, the 26-year-old shooting guard traded to Boston in August. Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations, has certainly appeared to have come out on the winning side of the deal.
Even minus the injured Irving, the Celtics’ starting backcourt outscored the Cavs’ equivalent in Game 2 41-3. It was evident that Cleveland has been unable to compensate for the lost production created by Irving’s departure.
Isaiah Thomas, traded to the Cavs as the centerpiece of the return Cleveland was getting on Irving, never got on track. He was dealt again at the trade deadline to the Lakers.
And before tipoff that night, the NBA lottery determined that the top draft pick Boston conveyed to Cleveland as part of the trade (originally belonging to Brooklyn) will be a disappointing eighth.
Game 3 of the Cavs-Celtics series tips off on Saturday in Cleveland. Boston leads the series, 2-0.
