NBA Rumors: Is LeBron James Now More Likely to Stay With the Cleveland Cavaliers After the Completed Kyrie Irving Trade?
Cavaliers able to acquire present and future assets in exchange for Irving
The Cleveland Cavaliers have finally made their move and dealt star guard Kyrie Irving, and what they accomplished now could have an effect next season when LeBron James hits free agency.
For the fans who may still not be fully caught up on the deal, the Cavaliers sent Irving to the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 unprotected first round pick, per NBA.com.
Breaking that package down, what the Cavaliers got back for Irving is another offense-first guard in Thomas who can score as much though perhaps not as spectacularly as the player he will be replacing.
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In Crowder, the Cavaliers have a tough-minded wing who can contribute with his competent defense and outside shooting.
Thomas and Crowder will help James and the Cavaliers remain competitive this upcoming season as they attempt to reach the NBA Finals for a fourth straight time, though it can be argued that the remaining parts of the deal are the ones that may prove most valuable to the franchise in the long run.
Zizic is an intriguing big man prospect. In his DraftExpress profile, Zizic is seen as a high-energy player who is willing to mix it up near the basket on both ends of the floor. He is not a particularly polished player just yet, but then again, he is young enough that he can still improve significantly.
Then there is the 2018 Brooklyn pick. Though the Nets are expected to be a bit better next year, the team is still expected to end up near the bottom of the standings, which means the pick they will be conveying to the Cavaliers has a good chance of landing in the top five.
Next year's collection of prospects is expected to have some potential franchise players near the top and the Cavaliers may have a shot at selecting one of them.
So, what does all this have to do with James?
Prior to this deal, the Cavaliers looked like a good and even great team that may have been maxed out already.
There was no obvious path to improvement for the team, and it looked as though they were locked into a future that involved annual losses to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. That does not really sound like it will appeal too much to a player like James, who is all about winning championships at this stage of his career.
What this deal does is provide the Cavaliers with ways to improve.
The Cavaliers can now sell James not just on the appeal of staying home, but also on the appeal of a promising future.
Whoever the Cavaliers select with that pick can become the heir apparent to James, and it may also be someone who takes some of the burden off of the King as he eases into the latter stages of his NBA career.
For much of this offseason, the Cavaliers looked like they were in danger of falling apart by the time next summer rolled around. However, thanks to the Irving trade, they may now have a bright future, and it may even continue to feature LeBron James.
