At face value, Isaiah Thomas joining the Denver Nuggets for a minimum deal comes as a surprise. But a closer look at the Nuggets' staff, especially head coach Mike Malone, reveals that their past might have been a critical factor in the signing.
Malone was actually the head coach of Thomas when the 5-foot-9 guard first entered the NBA as part of the Sacramento Kings. Their relationship didn't end when Thomas jumped from team to team. In fact, Thomas' relationship with Malone was the main attraction for him to ink a one-year deal with the Nuggets.
“Me having a real close relationship with coach Malone was probably the biggest key,” Thomas told Christopher Dempsey via NBA.com. “And knowing that I wanted to go somewhere where they were going to allow me to be who I am, allow me to play to my strengths and at the same time be around a good group of guys that got the potential to be special.”
Thomas will be joining a couple of rising stars in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and newest acquisition, Michael Porter Jr. It remains a question of whether or not Thomas will be part of the starting five or the second unit. Either way, Thomas' familiarity with Malone's system makes him a great addition to the squad.
“I’ve played in Mike Malone systems so I know what he wants from his players and I know what he expects. It was just a perfect fit from all angles and I’m just excited to be here and excited to help. That’s what I’m here to do.”
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