Former Cavaliers GM David Griffin believes the Kyrie Irving trade will take place as originally constructed, as Sam Amico of Amico Hoops relays.
“There’s not a lot of upside to this deal coming undone, for either side,” Griffin said on NBA TV. “Because of that, I think it will end up going through as is. Hopefully, they’ll be able to get Isaiah to a point where he’s ready sooner than people think.”
Boston originally agreed to send Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s 2018 pick to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving. Griffin said that if he were still the team’s GM, he would have made that trade.
“I think I would have,” he told NBA TV. “I really think Koby Altman made a tremendous trade here, given the circumstances. When you’re trying to win a championship, there is no in between. You’re all the way with me, or you’re all the way against me. And I think this is a situation where Kyrie made it clear he had a goal that might not have jived with Cleveland’s.
“They made a deal that, even in the absence of Isaiah Thomas, is a tremendous collection of assets. At the same time, Boston made a trade to get a piece that really could be a key for them — a 25-year old player in his prime, an NBA champion, an Olympic champion. He is really just starting to scratch the surface of who he can be.”
That was Boston’s offer for Irving before all the players involved took their physicals with their new teams and Cleveland expressed concern over Isaiah Thomas’ hip. Griffin added that he suspects Thomas’ injury wasn’t a surprise to the Cavs.
“When you go through these deals, you share all the information you have, you share all the images you have. If the most recent images of Isaiah were as far back as the playoffs, a new set of images now will create the ability to compare and contrast, and see how things have improved.
“So I don’t think it’s a situation where anybody was caught off guard. It was just a case of getting perhaps more information. Obviously, Isaiah is in this league because he has heart and soul that is almost unparalleled, and I believe him when he says he’s gonna be back to 100 percent.”
The two teams have until Thursday morning to finalize an agreement. However, if both sides decided to, they could extend the deadline.
Most of us have been saying this all along. The deal will get done.
Griffin is looking to get on Boston’s payroll. This package stinks if IT has surgery during the year (which is when it will happen, since he decided against based on how he feels now). He’d be done for the year. His heart and soul don’t matter – there is no minor hip surgery.
It doesn’t stink even without IT. I don’t see the Cavs having any leverage in a move-him-now situation.