Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge, usually known as one of the best poker-like executives in the league, made his toughest call in the offseason table of his front office career by trading fan-favorite Isaiah Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving.

While concerns of hip and labrum injuries were roaming the front office, ridding the franchise of a star of Thomas' caliber proved a decision more challenging than most believe.

“It was definitely the toughest call I ever had to make,” Ainge told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “It’s in everybody’s best interest that I don’t share all the reasons [for the trade]. But the bottom line is obviously I felt like it was the right thing for our franchise to do. But it’s a deep and complicated process. It’s not as simple as people think it is.”

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Ainge explained his experience with being traded and also dealing with free agency, that while a lot different from this day and age, still proved quite the emotional process as a player and now an executive in the league.

“And again, being a player in professional sports for 18 years and being traded twice and signing as a free agent once and playing on championship teams and being a coach in this league and being an executive for as long as I have, I think I’ve got a pretty good grasp on all of the emotions and I have a pretty good understanding how real this all is involving players and their lives and their families and the disruptions and the emotions,” said Ainge. “I get all that and that’s not easy for players and for coaches and for executives that invest a lot into these players.”

“It’s not easy for these office people that become great friends with the players. There’s a reality that I see and that’s what makes any sort of trade challenging. But it’s just part of the world that we live in, but it’s got to be done. You’ve got to do what’s best for the franchise. The franchise is bigger than all of us. Bigger than one individual.”

Thomas was noticeably upset when he first received the call from Ainge, but as he forges his future with his new organization in the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's likely him and Ainge will be back in good term as time often heals most wounds.