Now that the Kyrie-IT trade is in the books, I can finally discuss my feelings around it. I think both teams won the trade – Boston had a glut of assets anyways, and they add a young offensive wizard who will likely re-sign (edit 2019: lmaoo). The Cavs salvage their locker room while maximizing their ability to win now AND later, two immensely important things for a franchise staring The Decision 2.0 in the face. (edit 2021: both teams lost this trade pretty damn bad. makes loyalty look kinda important huh?)
But all of these things have been said. What hasn’t been talked about enough in my opinion has been loyalty. This trade says a lot about loyalty in the NBA on an organizational level. When The King LeBolted for Miami in 2010, jersey-burners lamented a lack of loyalty. When Kevin Durant started his new chapter last summer, fans again cried out against heartless superstars for biting the proverbial hand that fed them. And we’ve seen the reverse this year as well – after promising to keep DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento, Vivek and Vlade flipped Boogie for Buddy Hield and a slice of Anthony Davis’ unibrow. And it’s not just players and organizations – would Shaq have left Penny for LA if fans in Orlando hadn’t treated him like trash in the last years of his contract? Then, for the cherry on top, the most iconic Celtic since The Truth gets sent to Cleveland. It’s clear that loyalty is missing on many sides.
But…
If Ainge sticks by Isaiah, the Celtics aren’t much different from the team that got blown out by 40 at home in the Eastern Conference Finals. Not to mention Boston wouldn’t even own the ‘assets’ everyone praises if they hadn’t shipped Paul Pierce and KG to Brooklyn. Pretty disloyal, but that trade was an unequivocal home run. If Sacramento doesn’t trade DeMarcus, they’re stuck with a disgruntled star and a bunch of draft picks that never panned out. After the Pels trade and this June’s draft, the Kings are actually looking pretty stacked for the future. If KD sticks with OKC, there’s no triple-double season from Westbrook, and the Thunder are an outside shot at the conference finals until 2020. If LeBron doesn’t make The Decision, he doesn’t repeat in Miami. Cleveland never wins 3 consecutive draft lotteries, meaning no Kyrie, no Kevin Love (who they got for Wiggins), no Big 3, no 7 straight Finals. Loyalty would leave him with three less rings in 2017. Twitter would be ablaze. Pundits would scream about Michael Jordan’s six rings and Kobe’s five. LeBron would only be able to surpass MJ in the meme world – cramping, ringless LeBron is way better than Crying Jordan.
Loyalty always, ALWAYS comes second to winning in the NBA, if only because that’s how most fans see it. In a league where winning is everything, how can we expect the greatest to make room for such petty emotional connections as loyalty? If you want to gripe about how the NBA is a morally bankrupt, backstabbing league, go right ahead. But shut the fuck up about rings.
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