How Danny Ainge Told Isaiah Thomas He Was Traded For Kyrie Irving
The NBA is a business. Isaiah Thomas knows that.
Thomas, who was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason in a deal involving fellow All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, opened up about the blockbuster and his love for the city of Boston in an essay published Wednesday on The Players’ Tribune.
Thomas, who is entering the final year of his contract, opened the essay by detailing how Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge informed him that he’d been dealt to the Cavs for Irving.
Apparently, Thomas had just returned from celebrating his one-year anniversary with his wife, Kayla, when he got a text message from Ainge, who asked I.T. to call him.
Here’s how the conversation went, according to Thomas:
“He knew I’d been on my trip, so he asked me a few questions about it. I’m sure I asked him how he was, maybe how the family was doing. Again, you know, just that normal sort of talk.
And then somewhere in there, it was just like … it was barely anything. This little pause in the conversation. And that’s when he told me.
‘I just traded you.’
Simple as that. No big words, no big speech. Though I guess when it comes to shit like that, there’s not much more to say.
‘To where.’ That’s all I could manage.
‘To the Cavaliers, for Kyrie.”‘
Thomas, who led the Celtics to the 2017 Eastern Conference finals, understandably was shaken by the news.
“Danny started going on about everything I’ve done for the city of Boston, and for the Celtics organization, both on and off the court,” Thomas also wrote in the essay. “About what a great player I am, and how I’m going to be great in Cleveland. You know, telling me that type of stuff. And it was just like … at that point in time? I definitely didn’t want to hear none of that.”
So, Thomas cut off Ainge, thanked him for the sentiment and hung up.
There’s no telling when Thomas will return from the hip injury that sidelined him for the final three games of the Celtics’ playoff series loss to the Cavs, but he’s ready to help LeBron James and Co. vie for another NBA title.
“I’mma just say this here, point-blank, to get it over with — and then you can go ahead and post it on whatever bulletin boards you want to: You are not going to want to mess with the Cavs this year,” Thomas wrote.
Click to read Thomas’ full message to Boston>>
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
