Discussing the Isaiah Thomas trade with Cleveland's Factory of Sadness

The Isaiah Thomas trade proved to be the biggest deal of the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline. To come to grips, we asked Cleveland’s own Factory of Sadness for their take.

In case you missed it, former Boston Celtics all-star Isaiah Thomas was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside Channing Frye and a 2018 first-round pick. In exchange for Thomas, the Los Angeles Lakers sent the Cavaliers the young duo of Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. This Isaiah Thomas trade proved to be the biggest of the NBA Trade Deadline.

Here at LA Sports Hub, we either loved the trade or hated the trade. However, the Lakers fan base either seemed to loved the deal or was unsure of the deal; not many fans hated the trade.

To come to grips with everything that has transpired, as well as looking for another opinion on the deal, we reached out to our FanSided sister site, Factory of Sadness. FoS covers all things Cleveland for the FanSided brand.

FoS is going to post our response to the deal on their site as well. If you want to see our take make sure to follow them on Twitter for the latest updates.

Without further ado, here is what Ryan Rosko of Factory of Sadness had to say about the Isaiah Thomas trade.

1. I think this is one of the rare cases in which a trade was actually great for both sides. Would you agree with this sentiment? Why or why not?

"“Yes, I do. L.A. was looking for a point guard, a first-round pick, and salary cap space. Meanwhile, Cleveland needed to get younger and more athletic while simultaneously moving on from Isaiah Thomas in hopes of turning this season around and keeping LeBron James.”"

2. Between Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr, who do you see having a larger impact on Cleveland?

"“Both will have their own reasons why they will impact the roster but as of now, I’d go with Jordan Clarkson. Whether he is playing with the ball in his hands or not, his play-making and three-point shooting opportunities will improve. However, I am pumped about seeing Larry Nance Jr back home as he plays with a spark and hopefully shows he is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams soon.”"

3. For the concerned Laker fans out there, should we expect a revitalized Isaiah Thomas on the Lakers or do you think that the same issues that plagued him in Cleveland will follow him out West?

"“I’d be hesitant. He played long enough to get back to his old ways and show that he is healthy, but he simply isn’t. Also, being that Thomas is already on his fifth team despite being an NBA all-star should be concerning enough. It’s not a coincidence. Luckily, IT’s contract just has one year left. If he gets re-signed by the Lakers, I’d be very hesitant about the future if I am a Lakers fan.”"

4. How do you feel about the overall roster blowup that the Cleveland Cavaliers underwent? Does this somehow, in a backward way, drive LeBron even closer to LA in the future?

"“The roster needed to be reshaped and I am fine with it. Cleveland was able to keep F Cedi Osman and the Brooklyn Nets’ pick. However, I wished they were able to move PF/C Tristan Thompson but maybe in the future that can happen. Yes, it is possible this trade gets LBJ to California. As I mentioned, the Lakers needed more cap space (although they could have made it work differently had they not traded with Cleveland).The key for the Lakers is proving to James that they can add another quality star in addition to him. I was on a podcast last year where I stated I believed James would end up in L.A. but after these moves, I’m not so sure. Assuming Cleveland rights the ship, don’t expect him to leave NE Ohio. Too much still has to play out before one could really state their thoughts and opinions on where he will eventually play next season and beyond.”"

5. If you could change anything about the Lakers-Cavs deal, what would it be and why?

"“I would have liked to have seen Cleveland keep their own first rounder and either make the trade bigger by including another contract or somehow swapping out this year’s first for a future one. I would have hoped to have seen Cleveland then swap that first and Clarkson (although I am confident he will excel and improve playing with James) to the Charlotte Hornets in a big trade to land PG Kemba Walker. The easiest way to have done this could have been making Charlotte a third team in the trade but the draft picks situation is always tough to negotiate.”"

We would like to thank Ryan for taking the time to give us his thoughts on the blockbuster Isaiah Thomas trade. To view more of Ryan’s work you can view his author page here.

If you want to continue following Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr after their departure from LA make sure to check out Factory of Sadness. As the Cleveland Cavaliers, hopefully, turn their season around and make a title run, Clarkson and Nance may play a vital role.

Next: Lakers round table: Discussing the future

What do you think of the Isaiah Thomas trade, Laker fans? Be sure to join the discussion with us either on Twitter or Facebook or in the comments down below.

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Discussing the Isaiah Thomas trade with Cleveland’s Factory of Sadness

By Jason Reed | Feb 9, 2018