The drama over the Isaiah Thomas-Kyrie Irving trade might never end.
Not too long after the Boston Celtics traded Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Irving, the Cavs reached out to the Celtics about either voiding the trade or getting more compensation for Thomas after he underwent a physical. Thomas dealt with a hip injury last season — it even kept him out of Games 3, 4 and 5 of Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals series against Cleveland — but doctors said he didn’t need surgery.
But according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, it could be a lot worse than many thought.
“If recovery from various hip ailments, including a bone bruise, does not proceed smoothly, there is at least a slight chance Thomas would miss most of the 2017-18 season, sources say,” Lowe wrote Wednesday.
Of course — and Lowe points this out, too — Thomas himself said Tuesday that although he might not be on the court for Opening Night, his doctors haven’t said anything about him missing significant time. The Celtics had said essentially the same thing before the trade went down, so at this point, it’s unclear what Cleveland is seeing that’s holding up the trade.
The Cavs and Celtics have until Wednesday to finalize the deal, but that deadline may be extended if the two teams mutually agree to.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
