Kyrie is out! Danny Ainge finally pulled the trigger and used his assets for a young star. The Celtics turned their back on Isaiah Thomas and and traded with their Eastern Conference threat. Wow. There is a lot to get to.
First off, Kyrie wanted out and he got what he wanted. I would have enjoyed it thoroughly if they would have traded Kyrie to a terrible team, where there was no chance of contention. Yet, Kyrie was put in a great situation on another good team with a chance to succeed. There were many scenarios that could have played out much worse for Kyrie, but he has to be happy to be traded to the Celtics. They are well ran, with a great coach and a bright future. Kyrie wanted an opportunity to be the Alpha, now he has an opportunity. This year they will have more talent, but I expect their chemistry to be awful.
Kyrie is going to want to come in and prove something and play like Russell Westbrook. The Celtics chemistry is about to be disrupted and the Celtics will be worse off than they were last year, despite their talent and the addition of Gordon Hayward. Because the East is as frail as Venezuela’s currency they will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but no further. I project that Kyrie doesn’t have the leadership ability to produce the chemistry it takes to lead a team to the finals.
The NBA is a cold frigid business. Isaiah Thomas was a fan favorite, played out of his mind, while grieving for his sister, and played injured for the Celtics. He gave them everything they could ask for plus some and at first chance they shipped him off. I think that the chip will help Isaiah Thomas, but as Don Corleone said, “This is the business we have chosen”, and I don’t feel bad for anyone.
Also, Ainge finally cashed in his chips. Does he believe this is the right move, or did criticism influence his hand. He has taken heat for piling up assets and never using them. The Cavs did well considering the whole league knew they had to deal Kyrie. The Celtics made a mistake and should have been more patient. I also didn’t expect the two teams in the Eastern Conference Championship to deal with one another.
The NBA’s offseason has been mesmerizing for some time. Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, Kyrie Irving bailing out on LeBron, and the rampant and yet-to-be-denied rumor that LeBron is divorcing Cleveland next summer. Next year should be great. The Cavs vs the Celtics will be fun and another Cavs/Warriors final will be great. I love the NBA offseason.