Cavs trade Irving to Celtics for Thomas, more

KYRIE Irving was tired of being teammates with LeBron James. Now he has to figure out how to beat him.

Cleveland’s All-Star guard, who asked owner Dan Gilbert to trade him earlier this summer, was dealt on Tuesday night to the Boston Celtics for fellow All-Star Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, centre Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected 2018 firstround draft pick.

“It’s extremely rare to trade for a 25-year-old player that’s done what he’s done, the offensive weapon that he is,” Celtics president Danny Ainge said. “We have a player that’s proven to be a sure thing.”

Irving, whose late threepointer helped Cleveland win the 2016 NBA championship, is on his way to Boston, where he’ll join a Celtics team that lost to the Cavs in last season’s conference finals.

And as fate will have it, the Cavs will host the Celtics in their October season opener.

“Of course we know who our competition is,” Ainge said.

“But we feel like this is a trade that can make us better.”

The blockbuster deal caps a wild summer for the Cavs, who lost their title defence in five games to Golden State in June.

Since then, general manager David Griffin left, the team failed to convince Chauncey Billups to join its front office and James has played with fans’ emotions with veiled postings on social media about his future.

Irving’s trade demand cast a shadow over the entire organisation. But Cleveland may have salvaged its off-season.

“This trade needed to include both players and assets that we felt strongly could help us continue to compete for championships and we believe it does,” said new general manager Koby Altman, who pulled off a deal that protects Cleveland’s present and future.

In Thomas, they’re getting a proven playmaker with a stellar reputation, while Crowder is a solid perimeter defender.

The package could help the Cavs reload if James opts out.