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It wasn't long ago that Washington Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas was primed for a massive contract extension with the Boston Celtics, but his hip injury ultimately resulted in a very frustrating last couple of years — bouncing through the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and most-recently, the Denver Nuggets.
The 5-foot-9 floor general did not get much playing time with his new team upon undergoing a second hip surgery that sidelined him most of the season, Thomas played in only 12 games before coach Mike Malone removed him from the rotation indefinitely, not wanting to mess with the chemistry of his rotation.
Regardless of the frustration that came with that missed opportunity, Thomas notes he supported his teammates and the coach's decision, being the ultimate team guy and not causing ruckus in a well-cemented locker room.
“It was just a decision that the coach made. It was very frustrating,” said Thomas, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. “But at the same time, I was supportive of my teammates, I was being a professional and I was doing what I needed to do to get my guys ready to play and win basketball games. At the end of the day, me not playing didn’t stop me from getting better. I continued to work. I worked out after every game, I worked out before every game, I ran the stadium stairs… No matter what the situation is, I’m going to continue to work and continue to get better.
“The situation was what it was this past year and I’m moving on. But Denver did allow me to get 100 percent healthy again and I can’t thank Tim Connelly and the Nuggets organization enough for getting me healthy and allowing me to take that time to get healthy again. I can’t thank them enough.”
Thomas is slated to get a chance to start alongside shooting guard Bradley Beal in the Wizards' backcourt, a golden chance that could finally be the token of hope he's been looking for during the past two seasons since his injury.
