Isaiah Thomas has started to rebuild his image as a game-changer in the league with an opportunity to play for the Washington Wizards. Once a force to be reckoned with as a member of the Boston Celtics, the 5-foot-9 dynamo has experienced plenty of shortcomings since injuring his hip and returning to play.

Following failed stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, the 30-year-old point guard revealed how things have turned back around:

“I'm at a good place mentally,” Thomas told Leo Sepkowitz of Bleacher Report. “I got my joy back.”

Thomas can only smile after all he has dealt with:

“I've seen all of it,” he said. “That's why now I just smile.”

The Washington product underwent two major right hip surgeries after first hurting his hip in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, which forced him to sit out for a while with the injury — a wait that eventually resulted in his trade to the Cavs. Parting ways with the Celtics wasn't easy, as the Tacoma native had already embraced the city during his two years there.

For a while, Thomas was angry at the organization after he expected to get the “Brinks truck” to come his way after a career-best season. Instead, the point guard dynamo had to settle for a minimum contract last season and another this season.

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However, the hard feelings are now gone:

“Boston will always have my heart, because I went through a real-life situation there, and that city rolled with me,” he said.

“I don't wish them bad luck. It's just, you can't duplicate what's real. What we had was real. There was a time I was upset. I felt like it was handled the wrong way for a franchise player. But I don't hold no grudges.”

The Celtics have since moved on from Kyrie Irving, who they gave up Thomas for, in favor of another floor general in Kemba Walker. Thomas is two years removed from that hellish summer and is now back to being a difference-maker for the Wizards, averaging 13.2 points and 6.2 assists through six games this young season.