Fascinating Cavalier Dynamics
The Cleveland Cavaliers are just a few days removed from pulling off the most impactful move of the NBA’s offseason. In a trade with the Celtics, the Cavs swapped Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a likely lottery pick in next year’s draft. The move should improve Clevelands chances of upending the Warriors come June, but before any basketball is even played, this new collection of Cavalier teammates might want to address a few things about their past. Here are three sub-plots pertaining to the 2017-2018 Cleveland Cavaliers that I bet you didn’t know.
1. Isaiah Thomas and Kevin Love played for the same AAU team. In fact, not only did they play for the same AAU team, but Thomas frequently stayed with Love and his family during the summer since he lived more than two hours from where the team practiced. Two teenagers from the state of Washington realizing their dreams of making it to the NBA, becoming All-Stars, and then ultimately teammates in Cleveland. That’s awesome.
2. In the 2015 playoffs, J.R. Smith smacked Jae Crowder upside the head, causing him to fall awkwardly, spraining his MCL and ending his season. They were bitter rivals then, but find themselves as teammates now. Crowder, who is known for his physical play, triggered Smith who responded by striking Crowder with an open-hand on a simple box-out. The then Celtic forward demanded an apology, but J.R. being his usual self, made no such apology.
3. Jae Crowder is engaged to the ex-girlfriend of Cavalier point guard Derrick Rose. Yes, Jae Crowder is at the center of what could be another Cavalier controversy. It is not uncommon for an NBA player to be dating the ex-girlfriend of a peer, but rarely, if ever, does that happen with a teammate.
