Cavs owner sees Kyrie Irving leaving Celtics, calls 2017 trade a success

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What a difference two years makes.

When the Celtics acquired Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 2017, it felt like a steal for Boston. When Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder were off the Cavs' roster within a year and a talented Celtics squad reached the Eastern Conference Finals without Irving, it felt like a fleecing.

But if you ask Cavs owner Dan Gilbert now, he'll tell you Cleveland actually made out swimmingly in the deal -- because he believes Irving's tenure in Boston is over.

"I don’t know, but I think Kyrie will leave Boston,” Gilbert told Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "We could have ended up with nothing. Looking back after all the moves (Cavs general manager) Koby (Altman) made, we killed it in that trade."

"Killed it" might be a bit strong, Dan.

The Cavs did use the Brooklyn Nets pick the Celtics sent them to draft point guard Collin Sexton. But turning Thomas and Crowder into Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson didn't exactly move the needle, and Cleveland dropped to No. 5 in the 2019 NBA Draft after tanking its way to a 19-63 record.

What Gilbert might be right about though, is trading Irving at the right time. Gilbert confirmed Irving's agent mentioned the All-Star guard could opt for knee surgery if the Cavs didn't deal him in 2017, and Irving's knee eventually held him out of the 2018 NBA playoffs.

One year later, Irving's future in Boston looks murky, as he's reportedly considering the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer after cooling on his preseason promise to sign with the Celtics long-term.

As team success goes, the Celtics are still the clear winner of that 2017 blockbuster. But it sounds like Gilbert would view Irving bolting Boston as further validation the Cavs made the right move.

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