ESPN has pulled out all the stops with the firestorm of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving requesting a trade away from LeBron James and Central Ohio.
They recently put forth an Insider piece involving massive trade ideas, one of which is involving the Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, and the Los Angeles Clippers. In short, Detroit would acquire Irving and Tristan Thompson, Cleveland would acquire DeAndre Jordan and Reggie Jackson, while the Clippers would acquire Drummond, Stanley Johnson and a Pistons future first round draft pick.
Talk about a YUGE deal!
Here is their take on the issue:
“Any trade the Cavaliers do would have to include a point guard going to Cleveland. While Jackson is quite a downgrade from Irving, the Cavaliers would get a significant upgrade at center by replacing Thompson with Jordan. Jordan is one of the best centers in the game and would give the Cavaliers a much-needed rim protector.
A month removed from the NBA Finals, the Cavs have changed GMs and could be on the verge of trading their All-Star point guard. What’s going on with the East champs? Our five experts break down the chaos in Cleveland.
With Chris Paul gone, the Clippers’ future isn’t exactly clear. Considering the strength of the West, they might actually drop out of the playoffs, potentially leading Jordan to test out free agency in the summer of 2018. In Drummond they’d essentially get a younger version of Jordan — with a longer contract. Johnson wasn’t great in his first two NBA seasons, but at age 21 there is still some hope that the former No. 8 pick can turn things around. Additionally, the Clippers would receive a future first-rounder from Detroit, signifying that the Clippers are building for the future.
Detroit disappointed last season with only 37 wins. Some of that was attributed to bad team chemistry. Jackson, supposedly a culprit, would be shipped out while Detroit would get a superstar in Irving. Thompson could fill the void created by Drummond’s departure, and Kyrie would get his wish of being the clear No. 1 option.”
While the likelihood of this blockbuster deal actually being pulled off is relatively small, it certainly is thought provoking. What would you think about such a deal?
