All-Star guard dealt to Boston Celtics

Cavs get Thomas, Crowder, Zizic, 2018 draft pick

Kyrie Irving grew so weary of playing in the shadow of LeBron James the last three years he met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert last month and asked to be traded.

Now Irving will get the chance to help knock King James and the rest of his former teammates off their Eastern Conference thrones.

The Cavaliers on Aug. 22 traded the disgruntled Irving to the Celtics for All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, small forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the 2018 unprotected firstround draft pick of the Nets, which is owned by the Celtics.

“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,” Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman said in a statement. “We look forward to Isaiah, Jae and Ante joining us and also felt that the unprotected first-round pick in the deal was very important for us and our future as well.”

Irving reportedly asked the Cavaliers to trade him because he no longer wants to play with James despite playing together three straight years. The story surfaced July 24.

Irving listed Miami, San Antonio, Minnesota or New York as his preferred destination.

Former Cavaliers general manager David Griffin also mentioned Boston as a possible trade partner in an interview on ESPN’s “The Jump” earlier in August.

Thomas, 5-foot-9, averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists last season. He is coming off a hip injury that made him unable to face the Cavaliers for the final three games of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals and there are questions whether he will be ready for the start of training camp next month. Also, Thomas will be a free agent when his contract expires next June. He reportedly is looking for a max contract.

“I think (Thomas) is very special,” James said during the Eastern Conference finals. “He’s a special guy, special talent, unique talent.”

Irving averaged 25.2 points and 5.8 points a game. He has three years left on his contract but can opt out after two years. According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, the trade will save the Cavaliers $29.1 million in luxury tax.

Coincidentally, the Cavaliers host the Celtics in the season opener Oct. 17.

Crowder, nicknamed “The Beast,” is 27 years old. He averaged 13.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 32.4 minutes a game while playing 72 games last year.

Zizic, 20 years old and 7-foot-1, averaged nine points a game last season for Darussafaka Dogus in Euroleague. Getting the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick was a key part of the trade.

RON SCHWANE — ASSOCIATED PRESS Kyrie Irving looks to drive against the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas in a game last season. The star guards headlined a blockbuster trade Aug. 22.

TONY DEJAK — ASSOCIATED PRESS Kyrie Irving reacts during Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9. Irving was traded to the Celtics on Aug. 22 for a package headlined by Isaiah Thomas.

SUE OGROCKI — ASSOCIATED PRESS Isaiah Thomas, front, passes in front of Thunder guard Russell Westbrook in 2015. Thomas was traded to the Cavaliers on Aug. 22 in a package for Kyrie Irving.