NBA Free Agency: 5 Most Impactful Trades in the summer of 2017

#1 Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics

Charlotte Hornets v Boston Celtics

The Celtics rounded off one of the best offseason campaigns by any general manager in the history of the league with the biggest scoop of the summer, acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets' unprotected 2018 first round pick and Miami Heat's 2020 second round pick.

This came in the wake of Irving requesting a trade from the Cavaliers in July, reportedly after finding out that he'd been a part of a package deal by the front office in their efforts to acquire Paul George and Eric Bledsoe. Reports later emerged that Irving was so pissed off by this that he threatened to undergo potentially season-ending cleanup surgery on his right knee during the season if he wasn't traded.

At the end of the day, the Celtics were able to put together the best package deal of Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, who'd had career years with them in 2016-17. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, neither Thomas nor Crowder was able to play anywhere close to their full ability. The Nets pick, however, landed at no. 8 in the lottery, and they were able to draft Collin Sexton with it.

While Kyrie missed the end of their regular season campaign and the playoffs due to the same cleanup surgery that he'd threatened the Cavs front office with, he played some of the most efficient offense of his career with them in the time he was within. By all accounts, he's happy with the Celtics, and with Hayward scheduled to return in 2018-19 as well, they are prohibitive favorites to make a run to the NBA Finals - whether or not LeBron re-signs with the Cavaliers.

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