NBA: 5 biggest takeaways from Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade

3. What did the Celtics accomplish with this move?

The Celtics concluded the 2016-17 campaign with a three-game winning streak en route to a 53-29 record. This marked the first time they finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference since 2008.

Despite the fact they had home-court advantage, they were no match for James and the Cavaliers, as Cleveland eliminated Boston in five games. Taking that into consideration, the Celtics knew they had to get better if they had any hopes of dethroning the three-time defending conference champions.

One of the weaknesses of this team from a season ago was rebounding. While acquiring Hayward certainly provides the team with a versatile scorer, the rebounding still remains an Achilles heel.

As far as Irving goes, yes, the Celtics have acquired one of the best ball-handlers and finishers in the NBA. Along with that, Irving has a knack for making big shots in clutch moments.

While Irving is a few years younger than Thomas and doesn’t have any current health issues to speak of, adding him to the mix doesn’t give the Celtics quite enough to leapfrog over the Cavs as the top team in the conference.