Report: Celtics drawing a line at a 2nd round pick to complete Irving deal

Multiple sources are reporting the Boston Celtics are going to draw a line at adding a second-round pick as a sweetener to complete the deal sending Isaiah Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving.


The deal, which also includes Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the 2018 Brooklyn Nets unprotected first-round pick, was seen by many as already excessive, even in light of Thomas' questionable health as a result of his injured hip. The suggestion floated by some analysts that the Cavs might seek Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum to complete the deal has met with broad derision, throwing Cleveland's new general manager Koby Altman into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.


Asking for more than a second-round pick will almost certainly result in a voided trade, leaving both teams in the awkward position of re-integrating their nearly-traded players, but the Cavs in a smoking wreck of a situation in terms of future trades around the league. While it may be owner Dan Gilbert at work here, Altman should strongly consider the wisdom of what he's doing if he ever wants to orchestrate a deal in the league in the future...or have a shot at being hired elsewhere after Gilbert discards yet another GM, for that matter.

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