As usual, the NBA trade deadline is one of the most eventful periods of the NBA season. Around this time, teams try to shed cap, gain quality players and draft picks, and get rid of players who want or need a change in scenery. Especially on February 8, the actual trade deadline.
In fact, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded away most of their previous team on before the deadline. In just a few hours players such as Isaiah Thomas, Iman Shumpert, Jae Crowder, Channing Fyre and Dwyane Wade were traded to other teams. This put social media networks in a frenzy, mainly among basketball fans who live to make the most hilarious reactions at the right time.
Now that the trade deadline is effectively over, here are 10 of the most hilarious reactions to the Cavaliers' string of last second trades.
10. Dwyane Wade is out, back to Miami
Dwyane Wade is one of the most well-known and talented basketball players to ever play in the NBA. His charisma and work ethic endeared him to the Miami Heat, who drafted him in 2003.
In the years that followed, Wade won three championships and solidified himself as a future Hall-of-Famer. Long story short, Wade left the Heat in 2016 after failing to establish any contractual agreement with Heat president Pat Riley and joined the Chicago Bulls. This offseason, Wade joined his best friend LeBron James on the Cavaliers, and the experience hasn't been all that ideal for both parties.
On Thursday, the Cavaliers dropped a bombshell, trading Dwyane Wade back to the Heat. Apparently, some people on Twitter believed that the trade was already put into motion by James, a.k.a. GM LeBron James.
Pictures paint a thousand words, especially when they are taken at the right time. Maybe James did decide that Wade was overstaying his visit in Cleveland prior to the trade.
9. Always blame Kevin Love
Kevin Love is currently averaging 17.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Although Love is currently out with a broken hand, he still made the All-Star team and is an NBA star when he is healthy.
Still, fans are quick to point out that Love is the source of the Cavaliers' problems. This viewpoint eventually spread into the Cavaliers locker room when many of Love's teammates were questioning whether Love was faking an injury back in January.
Truly, it isn't east being a scapegoat for one of the leagues most disappointing teams. Some individual on Twitter poked fun at that theory on Thursday.
— X (@23_elmore) February 8, 2018
That's pretty much how things go down in The Land. However, it's somewhat surprising that the Cavaliers didn't unload Love at the trade deadline as well.
8. Danny Ainge is truly the GOAT
It's not an understatement that Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is one of the best executives in the league. His natural penchant for making qualities deals made the Celtics transition from the the demise of their previous championship era into a new era where they can finally compete for a championship.
In the offseason, Ainge seemingly made the perfect deal, trading an injured Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder for Kyrie Irving. While the Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are the East's third best team and have struggled all year.
Danny Ainge the GOAT
— Jared (@jaredisbored) February 8, 2018
Kyrie Irving is having his most efficient season so far, 24.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. He is shooting 48% from the field and 40% from the 3-point line. In fact, when you think about it. The Celtics have kept Irving, while the Cavaliers have traded nearly all of the pieces they received from Boston. Essentially, Ainge got the steal of the century.
7. Kyrie Irving is smiling
After losing the 2017 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors, Kyrie Irving wanted a change of scenery. He seemingly forced a trade from the Cavaliers. Initially, many fans and sports personalities criticized Irving for leaving James. He was called a “sidekick” and a one-dimensional player that couldn't lead a team to a championship. So far, those comments have been proved untrue.
The Celtics are clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference, and they may have gotten better now that the Cavaliers have shed some of their roster depth. Have you wondered how Irving must feel right now? Twitter has an accurate guess.
— SB Nation (@SBNation) February 8, 2018
This seems to be just right.
6. Isaiah Thomas was traded again
Isaiah Thomas has been traded six times in his six-year NBA career. Initially, it was believed that Thomas would spend at least the rest of the year on the Cavaliers before testing the free agency waters, but the Cavaliers decided that they have had enough of their Thomas experiment.
Honestly, this is the unfortunate side of trades in the NBA. Thomas has never truly been with any organization for more than a few seasons, and the Cavaliers traded him in a flash. The Twitter community apparently thought otherwise and made a comical joke about the whole ordeal, however.
When Isaiah gets that call pic.twitter.com/Ni79ol6U8m
— Devante Winfrey (@devantewinfrey) February 8, 2018
Who knows how Thomas feels, but this depiction just may be accurate.
5. Woj spelled Derrick Rose's name wrong
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is commonly known as one of the best NBA reporter. Still, everyone is susceptible to making mistakes every now and then.
On Thursday, Rose was traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Rodney Hood. In a quick attempt to post the breaking news, Wojnarowski spelled Rose's name wrong, prompting a clever response by one Twitter user who commented on Rose's epic fall from grace.
MVP not so long ago, now the premiere NBA reporter doesn't even know how to spell his name. Sad!
— Matej Sportinfo (@MatejSportinfo) February 8, 2018
While this tweet isn't particularly directed at the Cavaliers, it's truly sad that no one knows how to spell Rose's first name anymore.
4. The ultimate Isaiah Thomas troll
Isaiah Thomas is truly one of the shortest players in the NBA. Listed at 5 feet 9 inches, Thomas' size is one of his biggest weaknesses on the court.
Now that the Cavaliers have traded Thomas to the Lakers, some people are already starting to reflect on his memorable stint with his former team. In fact, one Twitter user posted an image of one of Thomas' greatest Cavalier moments.
https://twitter.com/chadsrevenge/status/961660932555407360
Thomas didn't have a great season with the Cavaliers, so he definitely had this one coming.
3. The front office is shopping
On Thursday morning, the Cavaliers traded a bulk of their players right before the trade deadline. This action presents the team with a serious question moving forward.
Are the Cavaliers going to go all-in towards competing for a championship this season, or is the team preparing for life with James next season? No one is certain as to what the Cavaliers were doing before the deadline, but some Twitter user had a hilarious meme describing Thursday's incredible events.
The trade deadline happens quickly, but the Cavaliers last minute trades happened something like this for sure.
2. The J.R. Smith meme strikes again
Since winning a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, J.R. Smith has turned into a laid back individual. Unlike his rowdier days on the Nuggets and the Knicks, Smith has matured next to one of the game's best players.
However, now, Smith is still known for his shirtless and Hennessy gobbling antics. In his signature meme, people are now wondering if Smith will “recognize” his new team when the next time the Cavaliers hit the court.
https://twitter.com/ConnorSunderlin/status/961662159410417664
Even after all of these years, Smith is still one of the weirdest players in the NBA. The meme just says it all.
1. Iman Shumpert somehow avoided it all
When trade discussions started kicking in for the Cavaliers, many people assumed that Iman Shumpert would be the first one to go. After all, Shumpert has been underwhelming for the Cavaliers lately.
He is a spotty shooter. He can't create his own shot, and he doesn't provide his team with any type of eye-opening depth. Yet, it was surprising to see Shumpert still on the Cavaliers after the trade deadline. Many Twitter users thought so, as well.
Iman pic.twitter.com/KgDEcLBe5V
— Jay (@iPurrple) February 8, 2018
It looks like Shumpert is going to stay with the Cavaliers for the long haul, or at least until some other NBA team idiotically trades for him.
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