Last summer, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving made the biggest headlines when he demanded a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. After three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals and winning an NBA championship, Irving felt that it was time for him to move out of the shadow of LeBron James. In August, 2017, the Cavaliers traded Irving to the Boston Celtics for a trade package including Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and draft picks.
Most people initially believed that the Cavaliers won the trade after acquiring veterans who could keep them in a win-now mode and a young player and draft picks that could speed up the rebuilding process if they plan to go on a different route. More than a year since the blockbuster deal happened, it’s still one of the most talked about topics in the league. So far, Kyrie Irving doesn’t have any regret with his trade demand and called the trade to Boston the “best move” for his NBA career.
“Change is hard sometimes, man,” Irving said, via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report . “And deciding to do what’s best for you is not gonna look the same for everyone else. So you have to willfully accept that. I think it was the best move for my career, honestly, because it wasn’t about any particular person or anything like that. It was just time. It was just time. It may not have looked ‘time’ for everyone else, but for me, it was time.”
A crown for the taking in the East.
The time is now for Kyrie Irving https://t.co/Ph6yGJ9fhP pic.twitter.com/Kec65mxo9s
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) October 12, 2018
As of now, there is no doubt that Kyrie Irving made the right decision to demand a trade to the Celtics. At this point in his NBA career, it will best for Irving to lead a team than serve as a second fiddle to other NBA superstars. Irving, 26, is still in his prime and is currently considered a leader and main man in Boston.
The departure of LeBron James in the recent free agency took away the Cleveland Cavaliers’ status as a legitimate title contender, and as of now, Kyrie Irving and the Celtics are the No. 1 favorite to become the new ruler of the Eastern Conference in the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season. If they keep their current roster, the Celtics are in a strong position to dominate the league for the next couple of years.
When the 2018 NBA offseason started, rumors and speculations circulated that Irving could be planning to leave the Celtics when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, days before the regular season officially begins, Irving gave a major hint about his plan to sign a long-term deal with the Celtics in the 2019 NBA free agency.
