The Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers trade that eventually sent Kyrie Irving to Boston and Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland hit a snag along the way when the Cavs balked at Thomas' physical. While the deal is now official, reports about the health of his hip don't seem promising.
According to a report from The Athletic, Thomas' recovery and health status -- a clear point of contention in negotiations that ultimately landed the Cavs an extra draft pick to sweeten the deal -- could drag on as long as the All-Star break.
"No one is willing to put a timeline on when Thomas might return to the court. The fact he isn't running yet certainly is not a good sign. One source with experience dealing with the type of hip problems Thomas is facing predicted it could be January or even the All-Star break before Thomas returns to game action. That doesn't leave much time for a new player to establish chemistry and rhythm with a team trying to compete for a championship."
In addition to sending Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, Brooklyn's 2018 first-round pick and Thomas to Cleveland for Irving, Boston sealed the deal Wednesday by throwing a 2020 second-round pick to help finalize things.
Although time will tell on whether Boston or Cleveland came away as winners of the deal, Cleveland might be starting from a disadvantage if its key acquisition isn't able to see the floor until the All-Star break.
