Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right hip tomorrow, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. The Lakers confirmed the report, (Twitter link), adding that more updates will be provided after the procedure is complete.
Thomas will have a scope performed on the hip and faces an “extended” rehabilitation process, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It will mark an early end to his season and raises another question mark as he heads toward free agency this summer.
The purpose of the operation is to “clean up the joint of all inflammatory debris related to his injury from last season,” Dr. Bryan Kelly of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York said in a statement to ESPN. He described the process as minimally invasive.
This setback hasn’t changed the Lakers’ stance on wanting to keep Thomas beyond this season, Wojnarowski adds, although the team’s plans will hinge on its ability to attract free agents LeBron James and Paul George. If the front office can’t land a big star with its cap space, that increases the chances that Thomas might receive a hefty one-year offer. If the Lakers are successful, Thomas would have to be renounced to help create cap space.
Thomas, who was acquired at the trade deadline last month, has impressed management and coach Luke Walton in his fit with the team, Woj adds, although the progress he makes in rehab between now and the start of July will affect the offers he receives.
Thomas plans to divide his rehab time between Los Angeles and his home in Seattle, and the Lakers have offered to let him use the team practice facility.
After playing at a near-MVP level last year in Boston, Thomas has been limited to 32 games this season — 15 with the Cavaliers and 17 with the Lakers. He has averaged 15.6 points per night since coming to L.A., mostly in a reserve role.
Good move. Hope it works out.
Why on god’s green earth would the Lakers sign this guy? His timeline does not matchup with the team what so ever. I’m sure the Orlando Magic will give him a chance and offer more money.
They are not going to sign this guy. This is just jargon friendly talk.
I don’t think this is how IT envisioned the past 365 days going
I guess the brinks truck might never come!
Maybe he got in the way of the brinks truck backing up.
It backed up so it could turn around and drive away
Resigning him…
WHY????
Because Pelinka thinks we can find a bargain in this?
Pass
The Lakers got him to take a backup role, and now, to get hip surgery. The Cavs could not get him to do either, or the Celts to get him to surgery.
Although this is might be a more minor operation.