Isaiah Thomas is on his third team since being traded from the Celtics, but his role in Boston’s quick turnaround shouldn’t be overlooked, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Thomas, who agreed to sign with the Nuggets this week, helped the Celtics reach the playoffs after coming to the organization in February of 2015, then was part of 48- and 53-win seasons.
That success made Boston an attractive option for free agents Al Horford and Gordon Hayward and put the franchise in a position to trade for Kyrie Irving.
“Isaiah added credibility to our team by making us a legitimate basketball team,” said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “And on top of that he was very entertaining. But he was all-in. He was all-in for the team. He was recruiting Al Horford to come. He was recruiting Gordon Hayward to come to play with him. He’s earned a lot of respect in my eyes.”
There’s more Celtics news to pass along:
- With the three stars of the Lob City era all gone from the Clippers, coach Doc Rivers plans to use the Celtics’ experience as a blueprint for rebuilding, Bulpett writes in a separate story. “They’ve done it as well as it’s ever been done,” Rivers said, “because all these other teams, including us now, everybody has a plan, but the plan has to work. And if it doesn’t work, then you have to start over again with another plan. And Danny and them have been able to run their plan.”
- The Celtics haven’t given up on the possibility of first-round pick Robert Williams playing in the summer league, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Williams is getting constant treatment on his aching left knee and is considered questionable for today’s quarterfinal contest. “If Danny wants him to play, if Robert feels he can, if our training staff feels he’s not at risk of reinjuring it, we’d love to have him,” said assistant coach Jay Larranaga. “… He just keeps getting better and better. Who knows when he’ll be able to play, but he does seem to be getting better.”
- Pierria Henry has been the best point guard on the Celtics’ summer league team, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn expects him to be considered for a spot with Boston’s G League affiliate if he doesn’t return to Turkey.
Doc is kicking himself for not sticking around Boston for the rebuild, which went much quicker than he would have ever thought. Now he’s in a much worse situation in LA.
Austin Rivers making 10M a year on the Celtics wouldn’t have helped a rebuild
Glad he didn’t stay, Stevens is the perfect coach for Boston
Not to mention, Stevens has also helped the rebuild TREMENDOUSLY!!
Stevens was the primary reason Hayward came to Boston, not Isaiah Thomas..Stevens is one BIG reason ALL of their younger players are progressing, and his defensive schemes have helped this team consistently become a top defensive team every year..DESPITE I.Thomas..
Thomas provided this Boston team with major sparks and played his rear end off to help this team win, but let’s not kid ourselves thinking he was a primary factor why the Celtics rose to a top tier team so quickly…That’s largely in part due to the combination of Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge..
What a shame that all Boston is now they owe it to IT, recruiting their stars, like Horford & so on & they got rid of him, in a not very nice way, & he didn’t got to see the fruit of his effort there. Shocks me to here a number of Celtic fans not saying much good about him, that really is sad for a man that he pulled the team on his back & played in grieving circumstances & injured, he gave more than all to Boston, Boston in return got rid of him. Nice one!!!
Basketball is just like every other sport, when it comes to committing a large contract to a player, it comes down to what have you done for me lately. It really was just bad timing for IT, since he was going to be due a large contract, yet he clearly was damaged goods.
Boston didn’t force IT to play injured, IT wanted to play knowing he was hurt..That’s on him, and he’s paid a significant price for that mistake..
However, if you’re Boston, you can give an injured player a MAX contract, especially not when Cleveland is basically willing to give a top 10 player in Kyrie away..ANY GM would make the same move..I would do it, and so would you..If Boston had given IT that Max contract, it is very possible it would have put a SIGNIFICANT DAMPER on their success moving forward..It certainly would have ruined their cap flexibility moving forward, and it’s likely he’d have to be stretched regardless anyways…
IT now has a new chance in Denver to finally earn his big deal, and I hope he’s able to finally capitalize on his third or fourth chance..
But Boston just simply dodged a bullet by trading away IT, it is what it is, and that’s just how sports and business in general works..The man who makes decisions based off of feelings or sympathy, is the same man that’ll be asking for some sympathy when he’s getting fired..
okay well I appreciate all that IT did he was a great player for us and and I praised him and continue to praise him for all that he did but at the end of the day I knew we had a better chance at going to the Championship with Kyrie then with IT did I hate we got rid of him yeah I did I think he deserved much better but once again I also knew he wasn’t gonna be able to lead them to the finals like Kyrie could. but thank you IT for working so hard for Boston I am really glad you signed with Denver show em what ya got!
IT4 was great in Boston but he shot him self in the foot when he said he wasn’t signing anything less then the max and Boston thought he wasn’t worth it (imo there not wrong) they did owe him for his injury I do believe it’s on them but that’s the game
ONLY IT knows whether he’s feeling pain, or whether something feels off in his own body..If he thought something was wrong, he should have gotten a second opinion, if Boston’s doctors infact cleared him to play…Also, if he knew he was hurting, and played regardless, then that’s on him, not Boston..
It isn’t like Boston forced him to play hurt, HE made that decision..
When they traded for IT, I thought it was the perfect fit, with all of the defenders they had around him to hide his deficiencies. Unfortunately, he got hurt at the worst possible time
Correct, and give Stevens credit for creating an offense and defense that accentuated IT’s abilities and deficiencies…
Stevens has consistently put his players in the best positions possible for each and every one of them to succeed..Boston should be thanking Doc Rivers for leaving!! Schematically speaking, Rivers isn’t half as intelligent as Stevens..Stevens is one of the best X’s and O’s coaches in the NBA, and he’s been one of the main cogs in Boston’s revival back to being a top tier team…
I’d be willing to bet you could replace almost every coach in the NBA with Stevens, and he’d win at least 6-10 more games alone..
He’s THAT good, and Boston fans should be incredibly grateful to have him..Right now, there are only a couple of transcendent coaches in today’s NBA: Mike D’Antoni, Greg Popovich, Steve Kerr, and Brad Stevens..And with Stevens being the youngest of the bunch, I expect the Boston franchise to be in the best hands possible for the future..It’s only just a matter of time before he starts winning some titles, and that time is coming very, very soon!!
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IT didn’t help himself in Cleveland or LA. He burnt bridges. However Ainge had a hand in making IT an anger management class shirt if a good team mate.
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