Before he officially signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Nuggets, Isaiah Thomas reached out to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge to see if a return to Boston might be possible, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Thomas, he and Ainge talked for about 15 or 20 minutes, with the point guard saying, “If the opportunity is there, I would just like to let you know that I’d love to come back.”
Ainge didn’t rule out the possibility of re-signing Thomas less than a year after trading him to Cleveland, but he and the Celtics needed to address Marcus Smart‘s contract situation before deciding whether a reunion with Thomas was in the cards. While Ainge was willing to continue the conversation, Thomas elected to sign with Denver before the C’s locked up Smart, closing the door on the possibility for now. Still, it sounds like Thomas would be open to heading back to Boston in the future if the opportunity arises.
“S–t, I’d have gone back,” Thomas says. “I don’t hold grudges.”
Here’s more on Thomas from Wojnarowski’s feature:
- The Nuggets‘ offer was the only real one Thomas received in free agency, which he calls “disrespectful.” However, he believes that his health was a major deterrent for interested teams. “People are scared of my hip now,” Thomas said, per Wojnarowski. “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.”
- Thomas views his decision to play through his hip injury in the 2017 postseason as one that cost him in the long term. “If I didn’t play in the playoffs, I’d be OK,” Thomas said. “I’d be getting paid. I’d be who I am — who I was. But you couldn’t tell me in that moment in time — with everything I was going through — that, OK, I should just sit out. … I played until I literally couldn’t play anymore. And that was not a good business decision if I was looking in the long term, but I was looking in the ‘right now.’ That’s just what it was.”
- Thomas also believes it was a mistake to get back on the court in January for the Cavaliers, suggesting he should have waited until after the All-Star break rather than rushing back early.
- Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he’ll welcome Thomas’ “voice and personality” into what has been a “quiet” locker room. “I want Isaiah to be Isaiah,” Malone said.
- Thomas isn’t concerned about his specific role in Denver as long as he gets the opportunity to show that he’s healthy. “I’m not worried about starting or coming off the bench now,” Thomas said. “I’m worried about playing well and showing the world who I am again. Once the people see that I can play — and play at a high level still — they won’t be able to deny me next summer. They won’t be able to deny me what I bring on the court and off the court for an organization.”
They should’ve thrown the taxpayer MLE at him. I don’t care if the fit didn’t make a ton of sense. They still now how to use him, and it would’ve been a great story.
Lakers should have signed him as opposed to the other 1 year deals they handed out (after KCP). Out of all the 1 year free agent deals he is the only one with the upside of a star. I know him and LeBron did not mesh well in CLE but Lebron squashed the beef with Rondo and Lance so dont think it would have been an issue.
Except for the fact that Lance and Rondo play defense and IT literally can’t. I mean he physically can’t with he height and his hip problem. Which is not going away in a contact sport like basketball.
Yeah but two different types of beefs. Lance and Rondo were on court competitive beefs. IT was his teammate and while we’re not privy to the details it had to do with chemistry. I see no benefit to having him on the team at all. IT wants to rebuild his value and LA isn’t the place to do it right now, especially with Rondo and Lonzo in the fold.
IT and Wade were questioning Love leaving the game when he was having a panic attack. That’s pretty much the only thing that the media broke about the way he effected team chemistry. Dude should’ve never talked all that trash about backing up the Brinks truck.
Where is Dionis?
It’s been awhile. I miss him…
Oh wait no I don’t
I had just been thinking the same, hope Dionis is ok, maybe on vacation, sure he is missed.
Now about IT, I am hoping he does a very good season, so he can get what he deserves, but what I think is complicated in Denver, is his situation with Murray, make no mistake, IT is a far better player & way better PG, so for me wouldn’t be a problem to put him in the starting line up & then maybe Murray at the SG instead of Harris, the problem might be with Denver wanting to develop & reassure Murray, they might keep him as starter & then it will be more complicated for IT… but will see how it goes, all depends how he gets along with Jokic, I am in no doubt Denver will be in the playoffs barring injuries, so is very exciting times for the Mile High city, always had a soft spot for the team since the days of Mutombo.
Right now, I’d take Murray over IT every single day of the week.
What? They’re not benching Harris for IT. That’s nuts. He’s going to be a backup PG. 20 mins a night if that. He’s not even a 6th man. Love his passion but he jinxed himself with all that Brinks truck crap he was saying two seasons ago.
IT is done.
Anybody that knows anything about the nuggets know that Jokic, Millsap, Barton, Murray, and Harris are their best players. Harris just signed a max deal last year. Murray is untouchable in trades. IT will be used like he was with the Lakers. He could be done.
Didn’t he say he might never talk to Ainge again.
It’s amazing IT got a contract offer at all
If he gets his FG% back into the 40s and 3pt % back to mid 30s then he shouldn’t have any issue getting a contract. Otherwise hes Derrick Rose without the Max Deal to fall back on.
I do feel bad for IT simply because he did what we ask a lot of our athletes to do, and that’s play thru an injury. How many guys have averaged 18 ppg over a 7 year career but hasn’t earned more than $22 mil yet? Obviously, that’s a ton of money for 90% of the country, but for an NBA player who likely wants to live a certain life for the next 50 years and provide for his kid’s future kids, it’s not a lot of money. Hopefully, Denver will use him enough and he’ll perform well enough where he can snag a 2/$30 deal next year.