Isaiah Thomas has talked at length about his shocking trade from the Boston Celtics to the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer. We know how he feels about the move.
But now, we can see how Thomas felt about the Celtics-Cavs blockbuster — as it was going down.
The Players’ Tribune on Wednesday released its next installment of “Book of Isaiah II,” a behind-the-scenes video documentary chronicling the All-Star guard’s offseason. The 14-minute video is well worth your time, but the good stuff starts at the 6:40 mark: A look back to Aug. 22, when Thomas had just gotten off the phone with Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and was trying to digest the news he had been traded.
Cameras captured Thomas’ raw emotions as he realized how the trade would affect his life — “What are you talkin’ ’bout … my kids (are) about to start school,” he said — and grappled with what it means for his career.
“It’s like, we gonna win the Finals anyway (in Cleveland),” he added. “Like, that’s what’s crazy. But it’s just like, damn, after all I do for … the city (Boston) gonna be mad as f***.”
Just as fascinating is how Thomas’ two sons react to the trade. His youngest son, Jaiden, was saddened by the move because “there’s no skate park (in Cleveland).” (Jaiden is an avid skateboarder.)
But Thomas’ other son, James, was a Cavs fan before the trade and was excited his father was getting the chance to play with LeBron James now: “You’re with LeBron. Yeah, you’ll be happy.”
James also asked his dad if Kyrie Irving, the other star involved in the deal, is “so happy” to be in Boston — which probably wasn’t the question Thomas wanted to be hearing.
The 28-year-old talked pretty openly in the segment about his thoughts on Ainge — “That was a business move by a businessman” — and lamented the lack of loyalty in today’s NBA. It all provides a fascinating backdrop should Thomas be healthy for the Cavs’ visit to Boston on Jan. 3, which would mark his first game at TD Garden since the deal.
