If you’re a Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics fan, you can already buy gear for your team’s newest players … if you dare.
The Celtics and Cavs agreed to a blockbuster trade last week primarily centered around All-Star guard Kyrie Irving going to Boston in exchange for a package of players and a pick highlighted by Isaiah Thomas.
There was, however, just one small issue: physicals. With Thomas recovering from a hip injury, news broke Friday and carried into the weekend that Cleveland was concerned about Thomas’ status to start the 2017-18 season and reportedly would seek additional compensation, in addition to Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick.
However, both clubs already announced the trade, and the parties involved all seemed ready for their new destinations. And as was pointed out on Twitter on Monday morning, you can even buy yourself a new Thomas jersey in the wine and gold.
Two things to note: You can also buy Irving Celtics jerseys, and those are technically outdated jerseys. They’re made by Adidas. Nike will make the jerseys for 2017-18, and the Cavs actually have a new look (might want to wait for these), so you’re really taking a risk by dropping your hard-earned money on these. Ships free, though, so there is that.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs’ ultimate preference is to reach out about the possibility of acquiring one of the Celtics’ recent first-round draft picks, either 2017 selection Jayson Tatum or the No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft, Jaylen Brown. While there’s no harm in asking, one would have to imagine Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge would laugh at that request and try to sell Cleveland on something a little less valuable if the Cavs truly are concerned about Thomas — and not just playing a little hardball.
And as you can see in the screen shot above and at the two teams’ official online stores, this trade is pretty far down the road, so it’s hard to imagine the entire thing being blown up over Thomas’ physical.
But, hey, buyer beware. You never know.
