Here’s food for basketball betting thought. In the 2016 Summer Olympics Kyrie Irving became just the fourth member of Team USA to capture the NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, joining LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen. In pro wrestling fandom, when discussing the greatest tag teams, the inevitable question is, who was the Shawn Michaels and who was the Marty Janetty of the team? Irving wanted neither to be the Scottie Pippen to LeBron’s MJ nor the Janetty to the King’s HBK. Hence his request to be traded; request which was granted a few days ago when the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt him to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić, and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round draft pick.
Now we know the Golden State Warriors are the overwhelming favourites to win the 2017-18 NBA championship, but where does that trade leave the two teams that were involved in it? Ironically, it could leave them exactly where they were before the deal was made.
Current odds to win NBA Championship for Cavs and Celtics
- Cleveland Cavaliers +535
- Boston Celtics +1175
CAVeat Emptor
Apparently, the Celtics pulled the old bait-and-switch on the Cavs.
Sources: After Isaiah Thomas underwent physical today, Cavs still evaluating injured hip and weighing options w/ completion of Irving deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 26, 2017
Could it be a little payback for the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals? We certainly wouldn’t put it past Danny Ainge. Thomas aggravated a hip injury in game 2 of that playoff series against the Cavaliers – who went on to win it 4-1 to advance to the NBA Finals – and missed the rest of Boston’s postseason. But the Celtics haven’t had the last laugh yet. It is a little known fact among basketball betting fans, but trades can and have been voided if a player does not pass a physical evaluation by their new team. for instance, the Oklahoma City Thunder rescinded a trade for Tyson Chandler, after the center’s left big toe was considered too great an injury risk by their team doctor, and in 2016, the Detroit Pistons voided a three-way trade after forward Donatas Motiejunas reportedly failed a physical as a result of back issues.
That being established, it appears as if the Cavs are more interested in receiving compensation rather than voiding the trade altogether. More specifically, “Cleveland is going to try to inquire about a couple of the Celtics’ young players: Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, who they tried to get in the original trade,” ESPN NBA inside Adrian Wojnarowski reported. “But Boston still has a war chest of future first-round picks of their own, and some picks they control from other teams, and Cleveland is going to try to get one more of those to finalize this deal.” The Cavaliers may now have the leverage they wanted in order to get their hands on Tatum, lest they veto the trade. Karmically speaking it would serve Kyrie well to be forced to remain in Cleveland for his crimes against common sense – including being a flat-earther. In basketball, basketball betting, and life in general, it just won’t do to burn one’s bridges. Next thing one knows, fans are burning one in effigy.