Did Cavaliers plan this trade mess the whole time to screw over Celtics?


Everyone seems to love a good conspiracy theory these days, but what if this one's actually true? Why would the Cleveland Cavaliers trade one of the best point guards in the league to their number one rival in the East, the Boston Celtics? As soon as the trade was announced, I was surprised to see that the deal didn't contain Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Cleveland has expressed interest in Tatum multiple times and I always felt like he was a sticking point to get a deal done. Sure, the Brooklyn Nets' first round pick is the big win, but did the team really want Isaiah Thomas or Jae Crowder? If I had to pick the two most emotional Celtics' players on the roster, I'd pick Crowder and Thomas. Whether it's Isaiah about the Brinks truck or Jae on the fans regarding Gordon Hayward, both players are active on social media when it comes to speaking their mind.


If I were running the Cavaliers and felt threatened by the Celtics, I would find a way to use emotion against them. If you take away the heart, the body cannot function. Thomas is the heart and soul of Boston, without question, and Crowder is a main artery. If you damage either of them emotionally, their gameplay will be effected, as well as their presence as part of the team. If you know you have to trade Irving because of issues with LeBron James, and James is potentially leaving after this year, why not maximize your return?


My theory is that the Cavs knew the extent of Isaiah's hip, took Jae specifically, and valued the Nets' pick as a decent win, knowing that they weren't done yet. The whole time they facilitated the trade I think they knew Thomas and Crowder would be crushed emotionally, and that they had a way out of the deal unless they got what they really want. Either Tatum, Brown, or a stack of picks to build with after LeBron leaves. This puts Boston in a tough position, especially if they have to try and repair the relationships with Isaiah and Jae. Danny Ainge may talk tough by drawing a line in the sand with a second round pick, but does he really want to deal with this mess? I believe the Cavs have the trade upper hand, with Danny flush drawing on the river.


I think that Cleveland can find another trading partner if need be, and if this trade is voided, it does far more damage to the Celtics than it does to the Cavaliers. I also think both teams know this, and that actually scares me a little as to what else we have to give up. The best way to describe this scenario is that it's a game of chess, and Cleveland just took Boston's queen. Maybe Danny needs to call up Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, I hear he's a master at wizard's chess, cause we need some magic right now to get out of this mess. The Cavs majority owner, Dan Gilbert, is not stupid when it comes to business, he does own Quicken Loans.


Photo credits: NBA.com

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