Three new Cavaliers players met with reporters today (Thurs) for the first time since being traded from Boston for Cleveland all-star Kyrie Irving. One of them, Isaiah Thomas, was not happy to leave the Celtics.
Thomas played with several teams before becoming an all-star in Boston so he wasn’t happy to get the call he had been traded.
"It definitely caught me off guard but it also woke me up. It made me realize this is a business and anybody other than LeBron and Kevin Durant and those kind of guys can be traded. “
His Celtics buddy, forward Jae Crowder, was also part of the deal.
“I got the phone call. I immediately called him. He said ”Good thing I’m going with you.” That makes it easy, it makes the transition a lot easier for us.”
Thomas says he and forward Jae Crowder bring something new to the Cavs.
"That’s toughness, grit, and just people who have been counted out their whole careers. Me and Jae come from the same -- cut from the same cloth - where we’ve been counted out and we’re just going to keep fighting no matter what people say. And I think that’s why me and him clicked so well in Boston. ”
Thomas was a leader in Boston and Cavs coach Tyron Lue does not want him to be shy around LeBron James and Kevin Love.
“I want him to be Isaiah. Don’t come in and defer, looking to fit in. LeBron and Kevin and those guys don’t want that. Come in, play his game, be aggressive, be the scorer that he is. “
The Cavs gave no timetable on when they expect Thomas to play. He suffered a hip tear in March that is considered serious but Thomas hopes it will heal with rest and without surgery.
The Cavs also received forward Ante Zizic of Croatia, who is the team is calling “Big Z.”