Cavs were more concerned with getting that BK pick, than IT's health.
It is easy to throw that out there but I wouldn't be so sure. Cleveland is going to want to be competitive in what is very possibly LeBron's last season with them. I think they want very much to have IT on the court and playing well. The specialists are going to help them figure out what is the best way to make sure he is healthy for the playoffs.
We as fans don't have all the information of course but between what has been reported and what I have read about the condition, it is chronic. It is not something that will heal. He can play but there will be pain. Playing isn't going to make it worse. It can be repaired with highly invasive surgery which has good outcomes but not guaranteed. Cleveland is going to manage the hip to get the most out of it.
It is a tough situation for IT. I don't know how many more seasons he can nurse this along without having the major surgery. One more season yes, but then what. Cleveland will trade for him for that one season but who will sign a long term deal?
IT is in between a rock and hard place now .
They need him to score a high level to replace Irving. Squeezing though 250-300 pound guys nighly . How to get a brinks truck ( playing spectacular) , being a scoring machine , and not getting that hip sore and irritated once again. He could wind up doing more tearing , and then it won't be a Brinks truck , but an ambulance he ll see pulling up in his driveway.
If IT can not still be IT we love and know during the playoffs . Lebron is not beating Celtics and noway beating Houston or GS. Lebron won't hang the rest of his career on a hurt 5-9'guard or the 6-10 pick either . The pick needs to be 1-4 and or/ IT healthy as a horse.
I posted on this yesterday (see above) that there is a real issue with the hip. He has a chronic condition where the ball and the socket of his hip are out of round. I am not a doctor, this is what I read about the condition at the end of last season. The condition does not heal. Some of the collateral inflammation can flare up (as it did end of last season) and settle down (as I am sure the off seasons has allowed) but the hip condition itself does not heal.
None of us know the current state of his hip or how ready it may be to play a season of NBA basketball. It seemed to me based on deciding to forego surgery and reports that he was going to be ready for preseason, that he was going to be able to play but that it would be a nurse it along kind of injury. That should have been what CLE expected and probably was OK with them. They just need one good season out of him since this may be LeBron's last.
I wonder if there is more to this. We have not had any of the obligatory love-fest type statements from the team and the players that are generally standard fare for these trades. IT has been quiet and CLE team and players have been quiet. Maybe IT is miffed at being traded and is threatening to have surgery if CLE doesn't extend him or something like that. Now CLE is trying to use the physical as an excuse but it isn't the real issue.
For IT to put it all out there for one season and then maybe need surgery is a good deal for Cleveland but not so much for IT. Why would he do that? Unless he could play the whole season and show the world the hip is fine, he is probably better off getting surgery. I don't believe the hip is fine. I believe that IT can have a good season but it will end like this season, with him limping off, this time probably to surgery. Why not do a soft hold out and make CLE give you a couple of guaranteed seasons.