More on Isaiah Thomas Free Agency
Malika Andrews: “That’s the only goal...is to be in the NBA, to be on a roster. I know I got the talent to do it.” Point guard Isaiah Thomas on his summer workouts with NBA teams, his health and more:
Thomas, 32, is attempting to make an NBA comeback after recovering from a gruesome hip injury that has plagued him the last few years. He says he’s 100-percent healthy and has been tearing up pro-am leagues. The two-time All-Star’s last stint in the league was last season on a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. Thomas, James and Russell Westbrook worked out together Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, sources said.
Thomas recently made news after scoring 81 points in Jamal Crawford’s “The CrawsOver” Pro-Am league, igniting discussions on whether he still has what it takes to contribute in the NBA. In an appearance on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby show, Thomas addressed rumors of a possible comeback. “There’s a little talk about that … I think the world wants that to happen because it only makes sense. If that opportunity presents itself, I know I can help that team, especially in the young guys over there in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.”
The addition of Thomas is far from assured, sources stressed, but the Lakers are looking for additional backcourt punch as well as wing depth as they decide how to supplement the 12 veteran players they have under contract.
Isaiah Thomas: I wasn’t showing y’all a snippet of me being emotional so y’all can feel sorry 4 me. Hell no!!! My life is GREAT!! I was showing y’all that to see what it feels like to give everything you have to something you love and to see it slowly coming back where it’s suppose to be TMC
Isaiah Thomas: That emotion was tied up from the last 4yrs battling every single day!!! I ain’t talking about the “league” giving up on me lol. THE WORLD GAVE UP ON ME & WAS SHITTING ON ME WHILE I WAS DOWN AND OUT!! When you love something you’ll do whatever it takes to get that!!! I’m back
Adam Himmelsbach: Some Cs intel I'm hearing as free agency rolls on: -Fournier's return still quite unlikely -Marcus Smart isn't going anywhere -Cs could be priced out on Jeff Green -Otto Porter/Patty Mills possible -Cs remain focused on maintaining flexibility -IT return not in cards
Boston, I’m told, has interest in an Isaiah Thomas reunion, with new Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens known to be one of Thomas’ biggest fans
The Cavs might also be looking for another center. Isaiah Hartenstein, who arrived in the JaVale McGee deal with Denver, has a player option. Sources expect him to exercise that and become a free agent. Hartenstein, who made the minimum this past season, likes it in Cleveland. But he boosted his value over the final few months and opting in would make him underpaid at $1.7 million. Hartenstein’s preference, according to sources, is to renegotiate a more lucrative long-term deal, staying with the Cavs as Allen’s backup.
Sam Amico: Agent @ejkusnyer tells HoopsWire that Cavs center Isaiah Hartenstein has no intention of signing in Spain, refuting earlier reports. https://t.co/zjyKZNnv50
Isaiah Thomas: Man I could help them Lakers boys during this time!!!!
Isaiah Thomas: All it takes is ONE team! Give me a REAL chance to be apart of something and I’ll show the impact I’ll have on a team whether I play or not. I’m ready to GO
Andrew Lopez: Isaiah Thomas’ 10-day contract with the Pelicans has expired and the team will not look to bring him back right away, source tells ESPN. Pels could bring him back down the road, though. (1/3)
Keith Smith: Isaiah Thomas' 10 Day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans expired today. The Pelicans can sign Thomas to to a second 10 Day.
Shams Charania: Isaiah Thomas is signing a 10-day contract with New Orleans and is eligible to make his Pelicans debut on Sunday vs. Houston, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Sources said Thomas has been in New Orleans undergoing COVID-19 testing, which will allow him to join the team immediately. The deal is expected to be finalized Saturday, clearing the way for Thomas to join the Pelicans before Sunday's game at Houston. The Pelicans needed to sign a player by Saturday to reach the NBA's 14-man roster requirement. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Pelicans are $346,000 below the luxury tax, so 10-day contracts work better for the team in the short term.
Andrew Lopez: Sources say the Pelicans are expected to sign guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract tomorrow. Thomas hasn’t played in the NBA since Feb. 3, 2020, but led the USA to a pair of wins in FIBA qualifying two months ago.
Shams Charania: Sources: Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas plans to sign a 10-day deal with New Orleans.
Thomas scored 19 points in his first competitive game in more than a year, helping the U.S. to a 93-77 victory over the Bahamas on Friday in a FIBA AmeriCup qualifying game. “My first time playing in a little over a year so I was a little rusty, but it felt amazing to be out there competing against really good players and also representing my country,” Thomas said.
He decided to play for the Americans partly as a showcase in hopes of earning his way back into the NBA, where he most recently played for Washington last February. Thomas — like many NBA players — had some trouble adjusting to the ball and the way the international game is officiated. But he was pleased with his movement and conditioning and said he’ll clean up his mistakes Saturday. “The world knows I’ve got what it takes. So ,it’s just about showing that I’m healthy,” Thomas said. “My skill didn’t go anywhere, it was just about getting a hundred percent healthy, which I am right now.”
Isaiah Thomas scored 19 points in his first competitive game in more than a year, helping the U.S. to a 93-77 victory over the Bahamas on Friday in a FIBA AmeriCup qualifying game.
More than a year removed from his last NBA appearance, and nine months after surgery that he says fixed a bone-on-bone condition in his right hip, Thomas has games to play. The two-time All-Star is suiting up with USA Basketball for a pair of FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games in San Juan, Puerto Rico — and Thomas expects NBA teams to be watching.
“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA as soon as possible,” Thomas, 32, told The Associated Press. “This allows me to compete against other professionals, represent my country at the same time — which is an honor and a privilege — and ultimately show NBA teams that I’m back to myself and I’m 100% healthy. That’s why I chose to come here. When Team USA brought it to me, it was a no-brainer.”
The games technically don’t mean much to the U.S.; the Americans already have qualified for the AmeriCup tournament that will take place in September 2022. But to Thomas, the matchups against the Bahamas on Friday and Mexico on Saturday mean plenty. “My skill didn’t go anywhere,” Thomas said. “The biggest question was whether I am 100% healthy. I am now, so why not show it on a stage with ‘USA’ across your chest?”
Johnson — the 39-year-old who scored 20,405 points in his 17 NBA seasons — offered even more praise after seeing Thomas in practices this week. “He looks great,” Johnson said. “One thing I’ll say: In pick and rolls, I think he’s probably going to be unstoppable. Bigs, I don’t know what they’ll do. Do you get out and hedge? He’ll go around you and split you. Do you try to catch him? He’ll pull up for the jumper. He has a great arsenal. It’s been fun to watch him play, man. I will tell you that.”
He was the No. 60, and last, pick in the 2011 draft. The other 73 final picks — granted, the draft used to include more than 200 players — have combined to score 6,644 points, while Thomas’ NBA total is 9,508. He heard plenty of times that at 5-foot-9 he was too short for the NBA; he averaged 28.9 points for Boston in 2016-17, the most ever in league history for someone his height. “I’ve already proven who I am,” Thomas said. “I still love the game. I just need an opportunity.”
While the U.S. has already qualified for the FIBA AmeriCup Tournament, scheduled to take place in September 2022, two games remain in the qualifying round in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this week. The two-game set provides an ideal chance for Thomas to show his hip is once again healthy, and that he still has much to offer the game. “It was a no-brainer,” Thomas said. “It is a great opportunity to come out here and participate. A lot of NBA teams have told me that they want to watch me play. Here at this tournament, I’m able to play against real competition in addition to being able to represent my country, which is an honor and a privilege.”
The COVID-19 pandemic that swept the world and threw the NBA schedule into disarray provided an unexpected opportunity for the nine-year league veteran. “It gave me time to get 100 percent healthy,” Thomas said. “I was able to get a procedure done on my hip last May that has allowed me to feel 100 percent again.” That surgery, performed by Dr. Edwin Su in New York, resurfaced the hip, relieving the searing pain that Thomas had dealt with for so long.
His last appearance with the Celtics was in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals. He was traded to Cleveland after the season, beginning a nomadic migration through five NBA teams over the next three years. “It was very frustrating,” Thomas said. “I didn’t know how to deal with (the injury), everything was on the fly. I was really trying to do everything I could do to compete at a high level, but I wasn’t myself, and anyone who watched the games could see that.”
Dan Greenberg: As the leader and driver of the @isaiahthomas bandwagon I understand it is my responsibility to never stop until I speak this into existence. Challenge accepted. Isaiah Thomas: I always appreciate the love bro. I’ve tried to make it happen. It’s over for coming back killa.
SiriusXM NBA Radio: "I'm just staying ready." Free Agent PG @isaiahthomas tells @TermineRadio and @Jumpshot8 he's healthy and waiting for the next call from an #NBA team. https://t.co/ZNiEAYynKV
Kendrick Perkins: I’ve be hearing @isaiahthomas been look really good in workouts and he’s back healthy. @LAClippers since y’all really didn’t do a damn thing in free agency might as well give him a shot! Carry on...
Isaiah Thomas: I collect game shorts and I wear them when I workout in the off-season lol
On the court, the 31-year-old Thomas said, he was carving and cutting and swirling just as he once did. He said it felt wonderful. He said it felt like he had finally found his swagger again. “Those guys were like, ‘Damn, welcome back. You really look like yourself,’ ” Thomas recalled. “That only gave me more confidence to be able to play the game again. I mean, I was blowing by people. I haven’t blown by anybody since I had a Celtics uniform on. When I was able to blow by MVP-caliber players, that told me my burst and power and speed are there. I really feel like I’m back.”
Now, though, Thomas must persuade an NBA team that this is reality and not a mirage. He was waived after the Wizards traded him to the Clippers last February and was not signed elsewhere. Now, the first four days of free agency have passed and roster spots are being gobbled up, and Thomas is still without a team. “We’ll see what happens,” he said. “But I’m ready.”
Five months removed from a hip resurfacing procedure, two-time NBA All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas is charting a course for the 2020-21 season armed with visual and data evidence that he's now a much stronger candidate to contribute to an NBA roster as a bench scorer. "It's like night and day for me," Thomas, 31, told ESPN. "There's no more pain. I've got my full range of motion. For three years, I was trying to play the best players in the world on one leg. I needed help from my kids to put my socks on in the morning. "Now, I can lift weights. I can squat low. I can work out twice a day. I'm able to cut and move and stop, able to cut and go. I feel like I'm 31 years old again. And now, I have scientific evidence to show that."
Whatever teams want to see out of Thomas -- perhaps a performance at a pro day or a series of workouts at a team facility, once such things are allowed again -- he is anxious to show them. "In some ways, the time off because of COVID was a blessing in disguise for my career," Thomas said. "It allowed me to take the time to get this procedure done, and get back physically to a level I need to be to compete in the league. I made the right decision to do this, and I'm anxious to show people I can contribute to a team again."
Jared Dudley: Don’t forget the Warriors! They will be back and if they’ll healthy with a top 5 pick added to their roster there a top 4 team in the west... Isaiah Thomas: I need that warriors action. I’ll come off the bench serving!!! Dwyane Wade: A Healthy Isaiah Thomas Off The Bench 🤔
Isaiah Thomas: I’m fine with being a backup, At the end of the day I want to be apart of something and when my name is called I’d be more than ready!!! That goes for any team
Daniel Greenberg: Isaiah Thomas in the gym with Zach LaVine. A couple of weeks ago Thomas said on IG Live that he always wanted to play for the Chicago Bulls and that “playing in Chi with Zach would be cold.” (Video via isaiahthomas/IG)
As difficult as the season was from a production standpoint, Thomas views it as a positive. "I didn't take any days off and that was a positive from where I was coming from," Thomas told Chris Miller on the Wizards Talk Podcast. "It had been two years since I could get better each and every day and not take any days off, and that big for me. Right now, I mean physically, I'm great," he said. "I'm just trying to stay physically sharp as best as I can throughout this situation and what's next for me is waiting for the next opportunity in the NBA."
Ryan: if you end up not getting another shot in the nba, would you go overseas for a few years? Isaiah Thomas: Why wouldn’t I get another shot tho? I started 40 games this season got thrown in a trade to make it work to a team that didn’t want me. Nothing more nothing less. All you need is ONE team to want you. I’ll get back to it real soon
Some Celtics fans will not want to hear this, but Isaiah Thomas, who was waived by the Clippers, is not an option. Evan Turner, who is expected to have his contract bought out by the Timberwolves, struggled in limited minutes for Atlanta this year. But he could be a good break-glass-in-case-of-emergency possibility for the Celtics if there are multiple injuries during the playoffs, because he has shown he can play well in Stevens’s system.
Some Celtics fans will not want to hear this, but Isaiah Thomas, who was waived by the Clippers, is not an option. Evan Turner, who is expected to have his contract bought out by the Timberwolves, struggled in limited minutes for Atlanta this year. But he could be a good break-glass-in-case-of-emergency possibility for the Celtics if there are multiple injuries during the playoffs, because he has shown he can play well in Stevens’s system.
Have you or your camp had any talks with teams yet? Isaiah Thomas: Yeah, I won’t say specific teams, but we’ve had talks with several teams. Teams are interested, but we’re just trying to figure out what’s the best situation for me. Also, we know that other things may open up very soon.
Isaiah Thomas: My health is good. As everybody has seen this season, I’ve been able to play every game and I’ve been able to practice every day. I wasn’t having to take days off; I was able to just focus on working and getting better. With my health, there are no questions. Now, I’m staying in shape and staying ready for the next opportunity.
After everything that went down, would you be open to playing for the Celtics again? Isaiah Thomas: For sure, if the opportunity presented itself. I hold no grudges, and they know that. I have genuine love for the city of Boston. If that were to happen, I’d love to be part of what they have going on. You never know. I’m always open for any opportunity to be in the NBA and play the game that I love at the highest level. If that opportunity presents itself, for sure. Time has passed.
Shams Charania: The Clippers have waived guard Isaiah Thomas, league sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
It was only three years ago Thomas was talking about bringing out Brinks trucks before finishing fifth in MVP voting. A series of injuries later, he still wants his elusive paycheck, but he also craves a more sustainable lifestyle for his two sons, his 1-year-old daughter, Journey, and his wife, Kayla. “I want to be somewhere I can be three or four years,” he said. “I was in Sacramento for three years. I was in Boston for three years. Even though that’s not a long time, I was comfortable there. My family was able to build relationships with people around the organization, people around the city. It just made things easier. So, what I am looking for — obviously, I want to get paid the most I possibly can, because I feel like I deserve that, but I also want to be able to be somewhere for a while.”
If he stayed healthy, he might have received a max contract in free agency in 2018. Instead, he’s gotten the minimum in back-to-back years. He hasn’t forgotten about the money. He said just a few weeks ago Brooks “wants what’s best” for him. “He wants me to play well, obviously, and get what I deserve,” Thomas said. “And that’s to get paid one day.”
Candace Buckner: Isaiah Thomas comes to Washington on the veteran’s minimum, per source. #Wizards now have two very capable point guards in rotation. Good turnaround from losing Satoransky earlier today
Adrian Wojnarowski: Isaiah Thomas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards, league source tells ESPN.
David Aldridge: Thomas met with Wizards tonight and agreed to a deal with Washington. Will team with Ish Smith, signed earlier today, to help replace injured John Wall this season.
Bleacher Report NBA: Wizards have interest in Isaiah Thomas, per @davidaldridgedc. Dwyane Wade: All my guy needs is the right opportunity.
David Aldridge: Wizards losing Satoransky, but are talking with veteran PG Isaiah Thomas and hoping there’s a fit there, per source.
Thomas has openly stated that he would welcome a return to Boston, but a league source said that Thomas will not be in the Celtics’ plans this summer.
Isaiah Thomas: All I need is one chance!!! Legit chance tho.... I’ll do the rest!!
Isaiah Thomas is hopeful his season with the Denver Nuggets and a full 2019 summer of work become a pathway back into an NBA rotation, a full-time resumption of a career sidetracked with hip surgery. "Nobody knew what to expect with me coming off hip surgery last year, and two summers of rehab," Thomas told ESPN. "Now, I can go back to being a gym rat this summer, work on my game again, and build my body back up --- my muscle mass, my leg strength -- all like I had going into the 2017 season."
"Denver allowed me to take really as much time as I needed, to get back to 100 percent health," Thomas told ESPN. "Obviously I wanted to play and I thought I could've contributed in the regular season and playoffs, but I understood (coach Michael Malone's) decision and I think I contributed in other ways as a leader, as someone who was there to answer the questions of the younger guys. I stayed ready and prepared to play."
"Isaiah was fantastic this season," Denver's president of basketball operations Tim Connelly told ESPN. "His voice in the locker room was invaluable. I'm sure it was frustrating for him not playing as much as he hoped, but he never allowed that frustration to negatively impact his approach. We wouldn't have had the success we had this year without him."
Thomas is now employed by the Denver Nuggets, the team that clinched its first playoff spot in six years with a 114-105 victory over the Celtics. But Thomas still yearns for Boston. “Why not? If the opportunity presents itself … that would mean everything to me,” Thomas said. “The Nuggets organization has taken me in with open arms and given me an opportunity to work my way back in my own time. I'm open to any and everybody, but if that [Boston] opportunity is there, why not?”
Thomas said that Ainge told him at the time the Celtics were primarily focused on re-signing Marcus Smart, which they ultimately did. But Thomas will be a free agent again this summer, and perhaps this opportunity will present itself once more. “You never know,” he said. “You can’t predict the future. My options are always open for anybody. I’m a Denver Nugget now, but I’m a free agent at the end of the season, and you never know what can happen. Who knows?”
Isaiah Thomas tells TMZ Sports ... he's fired up to show the NBA he's healed up and back to the superstar he was -- and wants to prove in 2018 that he's worthy of a max contract. Remember, the 2-time All-Star just signed a veteran's minimum, 1-year, $2 million contract with the Denver Nuggets ... and when we saw him at LAX, he explained why he took the deal. "The goal is just to show that I'm healthy and I'm the same player I was before," Thomas said ... "I just need one year."
"People are scared of my hip now," Thomas says. "I just had to be real with myself. I had to understand that it's not going to be about the money this summer. I've got to show people that I can play -- and play at a high level again. And I will."
"People know that I've earned and deserved the max contract, and that's the only reason why I didn't get paid what I deserved. Because I got injured. I get that. The biggest thing for me was to get to the best opportunity for me this summer and show that I'm healthy."
The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Isaiah Thomas to a one-year contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.
“It’s not every day you have the chance to add a player with the talent and pedigree of Isaiah Thomas,” said Connelly. “Isaiah is a player that we know will work extremely hard every single day he steps onto the basketball court and will do anything he can to help our team win. We are excited to add Isaiah to our already explosive core and we can’t wait to get started.”
Isaiah Thomas: You already know what time it is OG! Killa season
Isaiah Thomas: You know Ima run it back up killa
Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas has agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with the Denver Nuggets, league sources told ESPN.
Thomas met with Denver President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly and coach Michael Malone in Las Vegas in recent days, continuing to talk and text with them about a role and circumstances surrounding him joining the Nuggets, league sources said.
Malone is planning for Thomas, rehabbing from hip surgery, to play a significant scoring and playmaking role off the Nuggets bench. Malone coached Thomas with the Sacramento Kings in 2013-14 and has been enthusiastic about incorporating him into the Nuggets.
Kyle Kuzma: Appreciate my bro @Isaiah Thomas learned a lot in a short period of time. Can’t wait till u switch on me in the post this year
Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, league sources tell ESPN. Thomas will reunite with Michael Malone, who coached him with the Kings.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Veteran's minimum deal for Thomas, sources tell ESPN.
Steve Kyler: So word in Vegas is Orlando Magic talked with Isaiah Thomas but unlikely to move forward with a deal. Magic may hold the line at this point and see what else develops. They want to stay flexible in case something opens up. Did it last year with Jonathan Simmons
Josh Robbins: It's one thing to talk to a free agent and/or speak to his representation to learn about the player's status. A negotiation, on the other hand, is "a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement." Again, the Magic did not reach the stage in which the Magic sought an agreement w/IT.
Josh Robbins: The Orlando Magic and Isaiah Thomas never were negotiating a possible contract. Is it correct to say the Magic explored the possibility of signing Thomas? Yes. But there were no negotiations. The addition of Jerian Grant indicates Orlando had decided not to ultimately pursue IT.
Steve Kyler: So word in Vegas is Orlando Magic talked with Isaiah Thomas but unlikely to move forward with a deal. Magic may hold the line at this point and see what else develops. They want to stay flexible in case something opens up. Did it last year with Jonathan Simmons
After nearly a week into the NBA free agency period, Thomas is still available, and just looking for a team to take a chance on him. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski believes that even though there is "great interest" in the two-time All-Star, most organizations view him as a backup point guard at this point. "I think you’ll see talks with him start to heat up in the next few days as we have gotten through that first wave of players," Wojnarowski said.
Alex Kennedy: Isaiah Thomas and the Orlando Magic are negotiating a possible deal, according to league sources. Nothing has been agreed to yet, but it seems both sides want to get this done.
Alex Kennedy: Isaiah Thomas followed the Orlando Magic on Twitter today. It seems Thomas wants to go somewhere he can play a lot, so Orlando makes a lot of sense. He'd get a lot of touches and the only other point guard on the roster is DJ Augustin. (h/t @DavidBaumannORL)
Isaiah Thomas: Once again my back is against the wall... Against all odds & doubted by so many! This is the type of stuff that fuels me. I won’t ever stop, i live for this! What Iverson did for me is what Im doing for the next generation of kids #ThatSLOWgrind
