The Los Angeles Clippers acquired former Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas along with Marcus Morris in a multi-team deal with the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards on Thursday, but David Aldridge of NBA.com is reporting that the Clippers won't be keeping Thomas.
That means that Thomas will be free to sign anywhere, and while he is no longer the dominant scorer he was a few years back, he can still certainly help a team off the bench.
How about a reunion with the Celtics?
Yes, the same Celtics where Thomas truly made a name for himself with back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2016 and 2017, even contending for the MVP award after averaging 28.9 points per game in the latter year.
Of course, Thomas has fallen quite a bit since then due to a hip injury he sustained during his final season with Boston, an injury that played a rather significant role in the C's trading him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving during the summer of 2017.
But at this point, the Celtics don't need the 2017 version of Isaiah Thomas. They just need a reliable bench scorer, and Thomas proved in Washington that he can still fill that role.
In 40 games with the Wizards, Thomas averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the floor, 41.3 percent from three-point range and 81.6 percent from the free-throw line.
While his quickness and explosiveness has taken a massive hit, he still clearly has the ability to hit the perimeter shot, which is something that Boston's bench desperately needs.
The C's have an impressive starting lineup that boasts talents such as Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but outside of Marcus Smart and Enes Kanter, their pool of reserves is fairly barren.
Sure, there are young players with potential, but the Celtics are in contention right now and need another veteran presence off of their pine to take that next step.
Why not Thomas?
He wouldn't cost Boston anything, as it can just sign him without having to trade anyone. He could also spell Walker for stretches, as I'm sure Thomas still has some big games in him.
Thomas is also a proven playoff performer, having posted some monster performances on the big stage for the C's in 2016 and 2017.
I understand that he is a defensive liability and that his minutes will have to be limited as a result, but sometimes, teams just need some microwave offense, and I can guarantee you that the Celtics will have moments in the postseason where they need someone to step of off the bench.
Keep in mind that nothing is definitive just yet. The Clippers have not bought out Thomas at this time, and given the fact that Los Angeles could really use another ball-handler, there is a chance that he stays put.
But if the Clippers do ultimately decide to let Thomas go? The Celtics should be first in line to acquire his services, and that is something that all parties—the organization, Thomas and the fans—would love.
Follow Us
Subscribe