The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, after nearly a week of suspense, finally were able to complete their blockbuster trade.
Boston has reportedly agreed to send Cleveland their 2020 second-round draft pick, via the Miami Heat, in order to acquire Kyrie Irving and bring a close to the deal.
Cleveland still gets All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a 2018 first round pick via the Brooklyn Nets.
Concern around Thomas’ injured hip is what led to Cleveland pressing pause on the trade which caught almost everyone around the league by surprise.
What does this mean for both sides? Well, everyone involved can now move on.
Irving and Thomas can now begin the next chapters of their respective NBA careers.
When news broke of Irving’s desire to play elsewhere, the clock began ticking for Cleveland to launch a contingency plan.
There’s no guarantee LeBron James will hang around after the upcoming 2017-18 season. The Cavaliers were facing the possibility of a future without James and with, for the time being, an unhappy Irving.
Moves had to be made and they had to be done with not just the present in mind.
In the business world, critical thinking is a required skill. Decisions have to be made for the short-term, with the bigger picture always in mind.It’s a delicate balance, but it’s also a necessary one.
Kyrie Irving (No. 2) was ready to move on from Cleveland and LeBron James. (Image: Getty)
Boston Stayed Ready So They Never Had To Get Ready
The Celtics have spent the better part of the last four years stockpiling their war chest with draft picks to help lay a foundation for the team’s future.
Their highway robbery of the Brooklyn Nets in 2013, via trade, has turned into the gift that keeps on giving.
Boston received three unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016, and 2018) along with the right to swap first-rounders in 2017.
The 2014 pick, James Young, didn’t pan out for Boston. But they still have Jaylen Brown (2016). They wound up with the number one pick overall in the draft for 2017 and traded down to the 3-spot in order to take Duke’s Jason Tatum.
All this and Boston still had Brooklyn’s 2018 pick.
I always remind myself of the importance of giving yourself options. They increase your chances of staying in the game long enough to make your moves.
So when the Cavaliers came knocking, with a four-time All-Star guard ready for a new beginning, Boston knew they were more than prepared to roll out the green welcome mat.
If you stay ready, you’ll never have to get ready.
Don’t Sleep On the Long Game
Patience and preparation are vital. In the case of these two teams, the ability to play the long game while staying current in the present was, and still remain, imperative. Patience and preparation are vital.
Boston has managed to rebuild their franchise, all while remaining in playoff contention. Through a series of strategic moves, the Celtics haven’t missed a beat. They’ve now added one of the best young point guards in the game. Irving’s still only 25 years old.
Cleveland, with the 1-2 punch of James and Irving, have made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. But it was a flurry of short-term acquisitions of veteran players, some past their prime, which helped fill out their roster.
The uncertainty of a future without James, along with dealing with Irving’s request to be traded, forced Cleveland into addressing their future now rather than later.
The Cavaliers were crushing the short game, but needed to start looking ahead. It would’ve been easy for Cleveland to jump at the first offer they received for Irving, but they waited for what felt right.
In getting back not only a special talent in Thomas and a worker in Crowder, — the Cavaliers confronted their short-term needs. But the key to all of this was how they’d go about putting themselves in position for the future.
Isaiah Thomas averaged 28.9 points per game in his final season with the Boston Celtics.
Patience Over Everything
The 2018 first round (and unprotected) pick addresses their future for Cleveland. Holding out on the trade in order to secure another future draft pick only points to their awareness of the long game.
Playing the long game can seem tedious and feel frustrating at times. But if done right, and with patience, the payoff can be rewarding on multiple levels.
In life, playing the short game is cool and can be rewarding. When everything appears to be going according to plan, it’s easy to go from A to Z without thinking five to ten years ahead. We end up falling victim to the thrills of today without the strategy for a better tomorrow.
Boston and Cleveland had to encounter scenarios which impacted their short-term and long-term goals.They took their time to get it right before moving forward.
Knowing when, and when not, to wait takes time to learn. It’s could be the difference between a win for today or a decade of wins ahead.
