CLEVELAND (AP) — Magkasangga noon. Magkaribal ngayon.
Tuluyang naghiwalay ng landas ang basketball career nina LeBron James at Kyrie Irving nang ipamigay ang All-Star guard sa Boston Celtics kapalit ng tulad din niyang All-Star na si Isaiah Thomas nitong Martes (Miyerkules sa Manila).
Bukod kay Thomas, makukuha rin ng Cavaliers sa napagkaunduang trade sina forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic at unprotected 2018 first-round draft pick ng Brooklyn Nets’.
“It’s extremely rare to trade for a 25-year-old player that’s done what he’s done, the offensive weapon that he is,” pahayag ni Celtics president Danny Ainge.
“We feel like his best basketball is still ahead of him. We have a player that’s proven to be a sure thing. We know how unpredictable the draft can be. You do pay a heavy price for a player of that age and that calibre,” aniya.
Matapos bawian ng korona ng Golden State Warriors, nagkalamat ang samahan nina Irving at James na nagresulta nang personal na ‘request’ ng 25-anyos na playmaker na ma-trade.
Ngayon, mapapabilang si Irving, nagpanalo sa Cavaliers sa buzzer-beating 3-pointer sa 2016 NBA championship — unang major pro title ng Cleveland mula noong 1964 — sa Celtics na ginapi nila sa nakalipas na Conference finals.
At tukso ng tadhana, magkakaharap kaagad ang Cavs at Celtics sa season opener sa Oct. 17.