Two weeks ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded away superstar Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder Ante Zizic and an unprotected 2018 first-round draft pick via the Brooklyn Nets.
However, the trade hadn't been finalized due to Isiah Thomas’ “quesitonable” hip injury & pending physical. The Cars said that Boston wasn't fully transparent about the possible length of rehabilitation facing Thomas, who suffered the hip injury back in March and was shut down in the Eastern Conference finals. Thomas has reportedly been rehabilitating his injury ever since, and he told ESPN on Tuesday that he expected to play this season at an elite level again.
"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," Thomas told ESPN. "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."
Well with Thursday’s trade deadline looming over them, Boston’s GM Danny Ainge was able to officially finalize the blockbuster trade just in time by throwing in a 2020 second round draft pick via the Miami Heat. The Cavs originally wanted a first-round draft pick to compensate for Isaiah Thomas' hip injury, but would eventually agree to take the second rounder.
For what it’s wroth, the 2020 pick that Cleveland will receive from Miami was sent to Boston in the Zoran Dragic salary dump in July 2015.
Irving, who is reportedly "ecstatic" to be playing under Brad Stevens, is scheduled to be introduced at a news conference in Boston on Friday ESPN reports.
