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The NBA is a business, and as such, it’s hard for some decisions to be made without the proponents looking like heartless figures. Just take for example Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, who was among the minds behind the explosive deal that sent a package that includes Isaiah Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving last week.
Ainge has received tons of praise for being able to pull off the trade but also attracted as much scorn from those who taught giving away Thomas sort of betrayed the All-Star guard's commitment to the franchise. That, however, didn’t seem to be the hardest part of it all for Ainge, who told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com that explaining the move to Thomas didn’t come easy as expected.
“It was one of the most difficult conversations I ever had,” Ainge told CSN following the introductory press conference for Irving and Gordon Hayward on Friday. “I.T., everybody in Boston is grateful for I.T. and all that he’s done.”
A veteran front office personality like Ainge definitely knew even before sitting down with Thomas that holding such conversations isn’t going to be as smooth as he likes it to be, especially because it involved talking to a player like Thomas who unquestionably became the face of the franchise in the two years he wore the Celtics’ uniform.
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Ainge said some more kind words to Thomas in the interview with Blakey, which he hopes would help Thomas feel a little bit better.
“We wouldn’t be here today with Kyrie and Gordon and Al Horford, if I.T. didn’t exist,” Ainge said. “If I.T. hadn’t helped us get back on the map. . . we’re probably not sitting here having this press conference. Gordon Hayward probably isn’t impressed with the team. Horford and everything else.”
Thomas will likely miss the season opener against his former team on October 17, but he’ll still get his chance to face the Celtics and try to prove Ainge wrong in dealing him away.
