Celtics’ big trade gets PawSox fans talkin’ basketball
Team’s ‘Kyrie Irving Night’ promotion gets people attention
PAWTUCKET – The PawSox certainly hit a home run with Thursday’s “Kyrie Irving Night.” Perhaps in the spirit of the newest member of the Boston Celtics, the local Triple-A ball club nailed a deep 3-pointer with the NBA Finals at stake – a feat Irving achieved in 2016 with his now former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The concept went viral – ESPN and Sports Illustrated devoted space on their respective websites – and was well received as plenty of fans showed up to McCoy Stadium decked out in the color green and Celtics’ paraphernalia. For their efforts, they received a free general admission ticket to the Pawtucket-Buffalo contest. Meanwhile, in a nod to some of the Celtics’ fiercest rivals, any fans named LeBron, Steph or Draymond were charged double face value.
In keeping with the theme of the evening, several fans were asked to weigh in about the trade that saw the Celtics land a younger star in Irving but also part ways with fan favorite Isaiah Thomas.
David Chapin, 55, Natick
“I really like the trade. Now they have a different Big Three that sort of reminds me of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. Having Kyrie join Gordon Hayward and Al Horford will be this decade’s Big Three. I think the Celtics will definitely win their 18th championship in franchise history, maybe as soon as next year! It looks like (Boston gen- eral manager) Danny Ainge is finally being smart. He’s getting players who are going to make the team look good.
Janilson Lopes, 32, Pawtucket
“I like the trade. It may not make us better in the short-term, but in the long run it’s definitely going to make a difference. I did like Isaiah, but Kyrie is better. He has more upside.
I’m definitely surprised by what Danny Ainge did.”
Mike Violette, 27, North Attleboro
“I didn’t think the Celtics had any shot of getting Kyrie. I thought the most surprising part was trading the [2018 Brooklyn pick]. That part was huge, but Kyrie was the right guy to get. He’s a guy you’re going to want to spend money on. With Isaiah, you didn’t know if you wanted to or not.
“I don’t think Kyrie has liked LeBron James for a long time. It’s kind of funny how things played out, but it’s good for the Celtics. I can’t wait to see Kyrie in green!”
Anne Godin, 31, Coventry
“I’m going to miss Isaiah a lot. I’ve actually been follow- ing Jae Crowder as well dating back when he was at Marquette. It’s rough to say goodbye to them. You can’t deny that what we’re getting is definitely a power player, but Isaiah is a tough one to lose. My sister (Rebecca) is not as big of a basketball fan as I am, but last year she got pulled in and rooted for the Celtics because of Isaiah.
“It’s a trade that’s more about immediacy. Banner 18 in 2018. That’s where they’re going.”