After giving Thomas his physical, the Cavs weren’t convinced that the Celtics were fully forthcoming about the extent of Thomas’ hip injury, so they’re looking to restructure the trade with added assets. We don’t know exactly what assets Cleveland is asking for, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowki reported on SportsCenter on Sunday that they’ll definitely ask about rookie Jayson Tatum and second-year wing Jaylen Brown.
More on Isaiah Thomas Trade
"Boston is resisting, and will initially at least, resist this idea," Wojnarowski said. "Boston believes that it was completely transparent with Cleveland about where Thomas was physically, his rehab. Cleveland's version of this is that they didn't realize how long Thomas could potentially be out this season, he's in the final year of his contract, and obviously, that matches up with what will likely be the final year of LeBron's current deal, and so there's going to be a showdown between these two teams that may last a couple more days."
Adam Kaufman: Per @Chris Mannix on @CSNNE, #Celtics will draw line in sand. May part with a 2nd Rd pick to complete #Cavs deal. No firsts/Brown/Tatum.
At a recent event in Massachusetts, Celtics coach Brad Stevens had to explain to a young Boston fan why they traded Thomas. Stevens did a good job complementing Thomas’ legacy in Boston and his contributions to team, eventually telling the young fan that the business of basketball simply had some tough decisions to be made from time to time.
Adrian Wojnarowski: "It puts Isaiah Thomas in a really difficult place. He's gonna be a free agent at the end of this season and he's looking for the biggest financial score of his career. And both teams dragging him through this is really unfair to his future because he may very well get through and be fully recovered when he gets into free agency next year. The focus is really on how soon can he play this season. But it's certainly damaging his value around the league, and probably unfairly so."
The Cavaliers declined to comment on a new ESPN report that the team would seek further compensation for Kyrie Irving because of the severity of Isaiah Thomas' hip injury. Two Cavs sources said Saturday night only that the team was "still in the review process" in determining what do about the week's blockbuster trade with Boston, in which Cleveland agreed to ship Irving to the Celtics for Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and Brooklyn's No. 1 pick.
A Cavs source said the two sides need to reach a conclusion by Wednesday evening or mutually agree to extend the deadline. Though the Cavs could void the trade based on Thomas' injury, a source with knowledge of Cleveland's thinking still expected a deal to get done. However, numerous report said out of Boston suggested the Celtics were not happy with the Cavs' tactics and may take a hard line.
After Cleveland's physical examination of Isaiah Thomas' injured hip raised concern about the timeline for his return this season, Cavaliers officials are planning to seek an additional trade asset before finalizing a deal to send four-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics, league sources told ESPN. Without revisions to the original trade agreement, the Cavaliers could threaten to veto the trade, league sources said.
The Cavaliers' stance could trigger a standoff between Cleveland and Boston officials, forcing both organizations to weigh the consequences of letting blockbuster trade implode. The deadline to report and submit to a physical for the players involved in the trade is 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and the deadline to pass the physical is 10 a.m. on Thursday, per league rules.
A Cavs source said the two sides need to reach a conclusion by Wednesday evening or mutually agree to extend the deadline. Though the Cavs could void the trade based on Thomas' injury, sources still expect a deal to get done.
If both teams mutually agree to extend the deadline, they can. Once the sides re-engage, Cavaliers officials may try to make the case that Boston undersold them on the scope of the Thomas injury, and more specifically, how soon Thomas could be prepared to play this season, league sources said. The sides did discuss and share information on Thomas's injury, sources said.
Because Thomas is in the final year of his contract -- which coincides with LeBron James' opt-out next summer -- Cleveland has an urgency to get Thomas on the court this year. All along, Boston has believed it was clear in its assessment of Thomas' physical status and that information was communicated to the Cavaliers in the conversations prior to Tuesday's trade, league sources said. In a telephone conference call with reporters after the trade was announced, Celtics GM Danny Ainge admitted that Thomas' physical condition played "some" role in trading Thomas to Cleveland as part of the Irving package.
Chris Mannix: Boston believes it was completely transparent w/Cleveland on IT's hip injury, per sources. Expect Celtics to strongly resist any sweetener.
Besides its own future first-round picks, Boston has possible access to future protected picks from the Los Angeles Lakers (2018), Los Angeles Clippers (2019) and Memphis Grizzlies (2019). Boston does have control several second-round draft picks too, which could also be included into a deal.
The Cavaliers are indeed pausing to consider a "concern that we have" regarding Isaiah Thomas' right hip, a source told cleveland.com, while Kyrie Irving is undergoing his physical today in Boston. Two sources with knowledge of the Cavs' thinking said the team is conducting a "very deep and thorough review process" on Thomas, whom Cleveland acquired Tuesday in a blockbuster trade along with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn No. 1 pick for Irving.
In the aftermath of issues resulting from Isaiah Thomas' physical examination on Friday, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are planning a telephone call for Saturday to discuss the status of the teams' blockbuster trade, league sources told ESPN. The proposed deal sending Cleveland's four-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to the Celtics for Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 2018 first-round pick via Brooklyn has been thrust into uncertainty with medical questions surrounding Thomas' injured hip, league sources told ESPN.
It is possible that Cleveland could request further compensation from Boston before it'll approve the trade, league sources said. Cleveland has until Thursday to make a final decision on approving the trade, sources said. Cleveland can veto the deal based on a failed physical, sending players back to their respective teams. Thomas took the exam in Cleveland on Friday before flying back home to the West Coast, league sources said. "It's very sensitive situation," one source involved in the process told ESPN.
Irving, who had requested a trade from Cleveland, is set to take his physical with the Celtics on Saturday, league sources said. Thomas has been rehabilitating a hip injury that ended his season in the Eastern Conference Finals, and sources have told ESPN that the All-Star guard has yet to begin a regimen of running this offseason.
Kyle Draper: This #Cavs #Celtics situation is wild. My guess. #Celtics doctors said IT does NOT need surgery. #Cavs doctors feel otherwise.
Two people with knowledge of the situation say the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing a "deep and thorough" review of their blockbuster trade that sent All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the team is not publicly discussing its plans.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are concerned about the health of point guard Isaiah Thomas’ right hip, according to ESPN, jeopardizing the blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics that sent Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and a first-round pick to the Cavaliers for point guard Kyrie Irving. Thomas took a physical in Cleveland on Friday, and the results have given the Cavs pause on proceeding with the deal.
Zach Lowe: Cavs sent farewell tweet to Kyrie ~2 hrs later, 3 hrs after reports of done deal. Teams are often paranoid re talking before deals official.
After All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas underwent a physical examination in Cleveland on Friday, uncertainty over the fitness of his injured hip has Cavaliers officials evaluating the results and considering possible ramifications to the blockbuster trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics earlier this week, league sources said. One source involved in the process said on Friday night, "It's a very sensitive situation."
In the deal, Cleveland has placed the most value on the 2018 unprotected first-round pick that Boston controls from the Nets, league sources said. Instead of voiding the deal, Cleveland could potentially push for Boston to sweeten it -- namely for another draft pick. For now, those are conversations still potentially to be had.
Andre Iguodala: Return to sender???
ESPN's Chris Haynes recently spoke about this during an appearance on ESPN: The fact of the matter is, players in the league, they felt like Isaiah Thomas was done wrong. When they asked Isaiah — management, ownership — asked him to go out and recruit such and such, he did it. He went out there, tried to improve the roster. He did everything that was asked of him to try to improve the Celtics. And then to, out of the blue, to be involved in a trade — and look, we’re not even talking basketball-wise. I think most people will say Kyrie probably, overall, is a better player. But it just rubbed players the wrong way.
To have gone through all of that and still be traded, for a player who plays the same position, Isiah Thomas said, it's going to fall to the Cavs to build some trust with Thomas and make him re-commit to basketball. "He said he gave his heart and soul to the Celtics," Isiah Thomas said. "He gave them everything. It's a business and we all understand that it's a business, but to have it happen in such a way for him. I think it really hurt him. I think it's going to be difficult for him to trust again, to give that trust, that loyalty, that love to another organization. "And I definitely think the Cavs are going to have to do some relationship mending to get him back to the point where he loves being where he's at. Because he's a small guy and the thing that gets him over is his love and his passion. And if those things are kind of missing a little bit, it's going to be hard."
Adrian Wojnarowski: Thomas traveled to Cleveland, took exam and flew back out of town, sources said. All players must pass physical, or a deal can be voided.
Isaiah Thomas is upset the Boston Celtics traded him to the Cavaliers, who apparently have their work cut out for them to make their new two-time All-Star point guard feel better. All of that is according to Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas, who said on the MMA Hour in Las Vegas Friday that he spoke to the Cavs' Thomas and described him as "emotionally...wounded" by the trade
"He said he gave his heart and soul to the Celtics," Isiah Thomas said. "He gave them everything. It's a business and we all understand that it's a business, but to have it happen in such a way for him. I think it really hurt him. I think it's going to be difficult for him to trust again, to give that trust, that loyalty, that love to another organization.
Isiah Thomas: "And I definitely think the Cavs are going to have to do some relationship mending to get him back to the point where he loves being where he's at. Because he's a small guy and the thing that gets him over is his love and his passion. And if those things are kind of missing a little bit, it's going to be hard."
Chris Forsberg: Brad Stevens on report that IT rubbed people wrong way: "I don't pay attention to [reports] but if I was irked by anything that would be it."
Isaiah Thomas has seven days to report to the Cavs, whose highly regarded medical staff will be waiting to examine Thomas, who also will visit a renowned hip specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. Celtics president Danny Ainge told reporters that Thomas' hip injury, which caused him to miss the final three games of the Eastern Conference finals after having played on a torn labrum, would mean "probably a little bit of delay" as to when the All-Star point guard will be ready to suit up for the 2017-18 season.
The trade combined with the notion that players are expected to owe loyalty to teams appeared to rub former Celtics star Ray Allen the wrong way - especially given Allen's history with the Celtics. Allen posted a screenshot of Caron Butler's Instagram post on Thursday and added his own commentary on the trade.
Thomas declined to discuss Isaiah’s reaction to the trade that sent point guard Kyrie Irving to Boston, but the father said that while change can briefly be jarring, his son is well-equipped to handle it. “He’s still Isaiah, regardless of where he goes or what he does,” James Thomas said. “It’s a business. We’ve been doing good. Isaiah’s been doing great wherever he goes. And it’s just — it’s almost time for him to get paid.”
“Isaiah has managed to overcome every obstacle you put in front of him,” James Thomas said. “He knows how to maintain, man. He just holds his composure and just plays on. At the end of the day, it’s basketball. It’s still a dream.”
Anthony Tolliver: Preach! ✊🏾✊🏾
LeBron James: The burning of the jersey thing is getting ridiculous now! The man was traded. What do u not understand? & played in a game after .....
Louis Williams: Na. They not burning my guy I.T jersey. Na. No way
You can add Jayson Tatum to the list of folks who were shocked by the news that four-time All-Star Kyrie Irving was coming to Boston. The Celtics engineered a trade with Cleveland Tuesday night that sent Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the rights to Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick, to the Cavs for Irving. “I was just as surprised as everyone else,” Tatum told reporters on Wednesday. “I saw my name come up. I didn’t know if I was going to get traded.”
LeBron James has been silent about Isaiah Thomas joining the Cavs, but he had plenty say about his own game Wednesday evening. James, who is working out in Los Angeles twice a day with trainer Mike Mancias and Cavs coaches and player development staff, posted to Instagram footage of him scrimmaging in a famous auxiliary gym on the campus of UCLA.
James and Cavs GM Koby Altman spoke Tuesday about the trade, according to a source.
Sirius XM NBA: Kevin McHale thinks it is "scary" that Isaiah Thomas hasn't been cleared for basketball activities yet- McHale on IT hip injury
Isaiah Thomas was beloved by most Boston Celtics fans. Several of Thomas’ Celtics teammates, however, might have held a different opinion. NBA insider Chris Broussard revealed Wednesday, one day after the Celtics traded I.T. to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a blockbuster deal for All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, that some players in Boston “weren’t really that fond of” Thomas, according to several NBA executives.
“I will tell you this, I spoke to several executives, or texted with several executives (Tuesday night), and a lot of them were saying that a lot of the players in Boston really weren’t that fond of Isaiah,” Broussard said on FS1’s “Undisputed” while discussing the trade with Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless. “We know he had those problems in Sacramento and in Phoenix. I didn’t know he was having those issues — before (talking with) these executives — in Boston.”
NESN: Isaiah Thomas reportedly rubbed some Celtics teammates the wrong way. Kelly Olynyk: This Preposterous! #RealOne
NESN: Isaiah Thomas reportedly rubbed some Celtics teammates the wrong way. Jared Sullinger: Lies lies and More Lies!!! Smfh. Y'all better than that!
Altman was extremely focused on the future in making this trade, a source said. This trade may give James much more faith in Altman as a general manager. It would be hard to believe that Altman could have landed a better trade than the Boston one. He did call the uninterested Warriors about Klay Thompson, a source said.
Isaiah Thomas gave his all to the Boston Celtics the last two seasons, turned himself into an All-Star and a clutch performer in the process, and had nothing to do with the trade that sent him to the Cleveland Cavaliers and brought back Kyrie Irving. So why are a couple of Celtics fans burning their Thomas jerseys?
"Just felt right," one Cavs front office source told ESPN when asked what finally led the team to settle on a deal with an Eastern Conference rival like Boston -- the team they beat in the conference finals just months ago -- after fielding phone calls from just about every team in the league inquiring about Irving.
Nikola Vucevic: When you wake up and just now find out about the cavs/celtics trade pic.twitter.com/OWULZA1j4B
“This trade needed to include both players and assets that we felt strongly could help us continue to compete for championships and we believe it does,” said Altman. “We look forward to Isaiah, Jae and Ante joining us and also felt that the unprotected first round pick in the deal was very important for us and our future as well.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Boston has believed rest + rehab would return Thomas' hip to a full recovery. Cavs plan to monitor closely, anxious to give him physical.
Jeff Goodman: There was significant concern from Celtics about Isaiah Thomas' hip, source told ESPN. Turning 29, game is built on speed.
Scott Souza: #Celtics president Danny Ainge: The trade presented itself. It wasn't available earlier this summer the same opportunity (to get Irving).
Bill Doyle: Danny Ainge: "very, very difficult day" trading IT and Crowder, but he's excited about acquiring Irving.
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star and 2016 NBA Champion Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first round pick.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to send Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in a deal for Isaiah Thomas, league sources told The Vertical. The Celtics are sending Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick to Cleveland, league sources told The Vertical.
Dave McMenamin: LeBron James on Isaiah Thomas during the 2017 playoffs: "I think he’s very special. He’s a special guy, special talent. Unique talent ..."
Jeff Goodman: Cavs agree to deal Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and 2018 Nets pick, source told ESPN.
Shams Charania: Cleveland and Boston have agreement on deal to send Kyrie Irving to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas package to Cavs, sources tell The Vertical
Brian Windhorst: Cavs and Celtics on verge of a deal: Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and 2018 Nets pick unprotected, sources say
Dave McMenamin: CLE will receive BKN 2018 1st round pick - unprotected - from BOS in the trade that is currently being discussed, league source tells ESPN
Isaiah Thomas will have 7 years of service next summer as a FA. Cleveland would inherit his bird rights and could pay him a max salary starting at $30.6M.
Adam Himmelsbach: A league source confirms the Celtics have agreed to trade Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and 2018 Nets pick to Cle for Kyrie Irving.
Shams Charania: All-Star Kyrie Irving will waive his trade kicker to complete Cleveland's deal to Boston, league source tells The Vertical.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: Boston, Cleveland on trade call now with league office. Deal is done.
While the potential trade between Boston and Cleveland may center around a pair of All-Stars in Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving, the key to this deal getting done may come down to rookie Jayson Tatum. A league source tells CSNNE.com that the Cavs didn’t want to do a deal with the Celtics if Tatum, taken with the third overall pick in last June’s NBA draft by Boston, wasn’t included.
A different league source said the two teams are negotiating now and that the inclusion of Tatum has been among the possible options as far as getting a deal done.
Adam Himmelsbach: Celtics have had strong interest in Kyrie ever since he hit the market. But they'd been unsure where they stood and unsure of Cavs' timeline
Bobby Marks: IT/Crowder/Zizic combination would save the Cavaliers $19M in taxes. Tax bill goes from $78.4M to $59.2M.
The Cavaliers and Celtics are in serious negotiations on a trade that would send four-time All-Star Kyrie Irving to rival Boston for All-Star Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and a No. 1 draft pick. A source with with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed them to cleveland.com.
A. Sherrod Blakely: The @Cavs told @Celtics a couple weeks ago they didn't want to do a deal if Jayson Tatum wasn't part of the package, says league source.
A. Sherrod Blakely: Another interesting side note to the Tatum factor in this potential deal. J. Tatum and Kyrie Irving are both represented by the same agent.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics are engaged in serious trade discussions centered on swapping All-Star guards Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas, league sources told The Vertical. The teams are still working on the framework of a deal, and Jae Crowder has been included in the discussions, league sources said.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Cleveland and Boston have moved into serious talks on a trade centered on All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, league sources tell ESPN.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: Boston, Cleveland nearing deal on Kyrie Irving, but details still working to completion. Isaiah Thomas, Crowder, pick(s) in talks.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Boston center Ante Zizic also expected to be part of a potential Cleveland deal for Kyrie Irving, league sources tell ESPN.
Bobby Marks: The magic # for the Celtics is $13.8M to get a deal done with Irving waiving his trade kicker. Thomas and Crowder are a combined $13.05M
Bobby Marks: The following Celtics are not eligible to be traded: 1. G. Hayward 2. Marcus Morris (9/7) 3. A. Baynes 4. S. Larkin 5. D. Theis
