Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today
Heartbreaking Video Footage Of Isaiah Thomas Finding Out The Celtics Traded Him
This past NBA offseason, Isaiah Thomas was traded to the Cavaliers. Thomas was the heart and soul of the team and gave his absolute all for the franchise. The fan favorite identified with the Celtics like almost no other player has since Paul Pierce, and even played through injuries and personal tragedies.
Thomas was shocked about the trade, he never wanted to leave Boston, a city he used to call home. While there won’t be any bad blood towards the team and city, Thomas might never talk to Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge again.
Ainge, who always puts the franchise first, as we were able to see when he traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn, to ensure a bright Cetlics future (the trade turned out to be the perfect way of rebuilding the team), knew that he needed to trade Thomas, who still is injured and who would have become a free agent next summer. But, even though it probably was the right thing to do for the franchise, it was one of the toughest calls he had to make as an executive. Ainge told the Boston Globe:
“It was definitely the toughest call I ever had to make. 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.
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.”
The Players’ Tribune now released a new episode of a series about Thomas’ life, with footage of Thomas receiving the call from Ainge and his initial reaction.
“That’s crazy…. What are you talking about? My kids about to start school. Off the strength, after everything I went through [expletive]. You’re not supposed to do that. But it’s… I mean, if that’s what he wants.
Danny’s like that. But I mean, I’m not tripping. It’s just crazy that they would do that. Like, I’m not mad… I would be mad if I went to a weak-ass team. It’s like, we gonna win the Finals anyway.”
Isaiah Thomas processing the news that Danny Ainge traded him is pretty intense to watch pic.twitter.com/9JBhGYfSZ7
— AP (@Ananth_Pandian) December 20, 2017
