The two top teams in the Eastern Conference swap point guards, and the Miami Heat are still on the outside looking in.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in a move that has implications around the league, and directly impacts the Miami Heat.

As first reported by The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the Cavaliers and Celtics have agreed to a deal that sends Irving to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s unprotected 2018 first-round pick. It’s a shocking trade given that both teams played each other in the Eastern Conference finals last season, but nothing about this situation is ordinary.

Irving requested a trade because he wanted to escape the shadow cast by LeBron James. Irving’s reported list of preferred destinations included the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat.

The Heat never had the assets to get a deal done. They reportedly offered Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow, but the Cavs were seeking a “blue chip” young player, something the Heat don’t have. Winslow, while young, is coming off of two sub-par shooting seasons and serious shoulder surgery, and Dragic is on the other side of 30 years old.

Thomas’ performance in Boston last season put him in the MVP discussion. The Celtics earned the top seed in the East, but lost to LeBron and Irving in the conference finals. Meanwhile, Irving’s performance against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals was nothing short of spectacular.

Irving is better than Thomas. He can create in more ways and reach a level Thomas can’t, but he’s not that much better. Irving averaged 25.2 points and 5.8 assists per game last season, while Thomas averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game. Getting Thomas is a nice consolation prize considering Cleveland’s predicament.

For the Celtics, the key is that Irving has two more years on his contract while Thomas’ deal expires after the season. The Cavaliers get Thomas and valuable depth they were missing in last year’s finals. The Celtics get a player to pair with Gordon Hayward and build around.

PLAY FANDUEL: New users win first contest or get credited up to $120!

For Miami, the takeaway from the trade is that it is still a two-horse race in the East. After some deck shuffling, Boston and Cleveland look poised to meet again in the conference finals. Pat Riley, who watched Paul George, Jimmy Butler and, now, Irving get traded, misses out on yet another star on the trade market. It’s unclear if, and when, another star will become available.

The good news, if you’re Riley, is that Boston finally spent some of their assets. Previous to this, the Celtics had enough assets that they could beat any offer from the Heat. Now Irving and the Boston Trade Package are off the table. The NBA has more stars than ever, which means more can be on the move. For now, Riley will have to wait for the next star to shake loose for a chance to get his hands on one.