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8x All-Star wanted Spurs, Knicks, Heat, or Timberwolves trade over Boston Celtics before Cs deal

By Andrew Hughes

An 8x All-Star the Boston Celtics traded for the last decade wanted a deal to the Spurs, Heat, Knicks, or Timberwolves instead Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
An 8x All-Star the Boston Celtics traded for the last decade wanted a deal to the Spurs, Heat, Knicks, or Timberwolves instead Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Back in 2017, Kyrie Irving had a preferred list of teams he wanted to be dealt to after his Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in five games during the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics weren’t one of them.

We know how that turned out. Irving made his way to Boston, and the best days the team had during his short tenure was when he was on the bench in street clothes during the 2018 postseason.

As RealGM reported on February 2, Irving instead wanted a trade to either the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, or Minnesota Timberwolves instead.

What put the Boston Celtics over the top in Kyrie Irving trade talks

When it was all said and done, the Cavaliers didn’t get much in the Irving trade in the way of win-now talent. Isaiah Thomas played a total of 15 games before being traded, Jae Crowder’s efficiency fell off a cliff and was also dealt by the deadline, and Ante Zizic was out of the league by his third season. If the draft pick it got by way of the Brooklyn Nets’ trade swap from the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett trade didn’t turn out to be Collin Sexton, it’d be viewed as one of the all-time steals for the Cs.

As we know now, it was the foresight of then-Cleveland GM Koby Altman to get that draft pick which ultimately made a deal between the two possible since it was what netted Irving for the Cs for better or for worse:

"“Once (Irving’s agent) received permission to contact opposing teams, he and Danny Ainge engaged in frequent dialogue about Irving’s trade market.”“The Cavaliers considered the 2018 first round pick owned by Boston via the Brooklyn Nets to be the premier draft asset that was offered.”"

Oddly enough, Irving ended up signing with a team that wasn’t on his preferred trade destination list when he chose the Nets in 2019 free agency.

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