The State Of Cleveland

Something had to be done.

We didn't know what exactly, but the Cavaliers couldn't continue as they were.

And the first to go was the Cavs newest star.

He was a Cavalier for only 15 games, but they were 15 games too many. IT never fit with the Cavs. He wasn't able to fully recover from that hip injury, and it was apparent in his play (14.7 PPG down from 28 PPG last season). But his game is arguably the secondary reason he was traded. At least for the Cavaliers, Thomas was a locker room issue.

Thomas' tendency to speak candidly about all of Cleveland's issues with the media didn't sit well with his teammates. Thomas leading the charge on Kevin Love after he left the Thunder game didn't sit well either and was pretty much the beginning of the end for him in Cleveland. So when the call came, it probably didn't even surprise IT.

The Lakers traded for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavalier's first round pick in exchange for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr, a trade that benefits both teams.

WhyToby?

Well for Cleveland, they had to get IT out of there. His offense wasn't worth his defensive liabilities and the locker room drama. They also get younger, as Larry Nance Jr. will probably slide into the starting center spot and get a solid guard in Jordan Clarkson.

For the Lakers, they might've won the trade deadline. Magic Johnson finally cleared the books and now has enough cap space to go after two max guys, which was his master plan. They also get a much-needed scorer in IT, if he can get back into form.

The Cavs weren't done though.

Their final move of the deadline was bringing in Rodney Hood and George Hill. This trade was apart of a three-team deal that sent Joe Johnson and Iman Shumpert to the Kings and Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to the Jazz.

In Rodney Hood, the Cavaliers get them a true scoring threat at the 2-guard who plays decent defense and averages 17 a game. In George Hill, they get the best point guard they've had on their roster all season.

Also in a separate deal, Dywane Wade heads back to Miami, where I believe he'll play the final games of his career this season.

So what do these trades mean for the Cavaliers?

WhyToby?

The Cavaliers season is saved. The Cavs were going down a dangerous path. A very bad one that would've ended with the worst possible reality for the Cavs: LeBron leaving. I'm not here to say that LeBron is going to stay, but the chances are a lot better.

The Cavaliers got better on the court too. They got younger and fresher with the additions they made. This will help them improve on a league worse defense. They got rid of players and egos that were messing up team chemistry while retaining their championship core (LeBron, JR, K.Love, Tristan Thompson, and Korver.) The Cavs were in jeopardy of losing the East and even worse, losing to Kyrie and the Celtics, and now that's not a worry anymore. The Cavs are again the best team in the conference and will win the East again.

The Finals on the other hand... is another article for another day.