Isaiah Thomas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Thomas, Ball, Giles, Looney

March 29th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas was facing a tough free agent market even before Wednesday’s announcement that he will have season-ending surgery on his right hip, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports.

Only a few teams have the cap room available to give Thomas the kind of contract he was expecting, and most of them aren’t good fits. The Sixers already have Markelle Fultz, the Mavericks are set with rookie Dennis Smith Jr. and the rebuilding Bulls and Hawks aren’t likely to invest heavily in a 29-year-old guard with serious injury concerns.

“No one is going long there [with a deal], in all likelihood,” former Cavaliers GM David Griffin said. “[The hip] is a very significant factor. His whole game is predicated upon quickness and creating shot separation. If he can’t do that, he is a small non-defender.”

The Lakers have expressed interest in re-signing Thomas, but that’s only if they strike out on their primary targets in free agency.

There’s more news from the Pacific Division:

Lonzo Ball will have an MRI on his left knee today, but the Lakers rookie isn’t overly concerned about the results, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Ball had to leave last night’s game after being kneed in the back of the leg in the third quarter. “It wasn’t in the spot that I previously hurt that caused me to miss a lot of games, so I wasn’t too worried about it,” Ball said. “It’s just kind of like a bruise. It just hurts, but I should be back soon.”
The Kings believe injured rookie Harry Giles has a bright future, but that won’t stop them from drafting a big man if they get an early lottery pick, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Giles, who has sat out the entire season after undergoing three knee operations in four years, tells Alex Kramers of NBA.com he knows he will eventually get a chance to prove himself. “I know that my time is coming,” he said. “It’s not like I’m [thinking], ‘I might not play. I might not do this or do that.’ I know it’s about just me working and getting better. I have to look at it like it’s only getting me ready for when my time really comes.”
Kevon Looney is making the most of his playing time with the injury-ravaged Warriors, writes Monte Poole of NBC Bay Area. The third-year power forward/center has finally gotten past the hip problems that required surgery early in his career. “He’s always had that game,” said teammate Andre Iguodala. “But the NBA is all about that confidence and opportunity. He’s feeling better, too. But even when he was hurting with his hips, I could always see his game.”

Surgery Set For Isaiah Thomas; Lakers Still Interested In Re-Signing Him

March 28th, 2018 at 12:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Isaiah Thomas To Have Hip Evaluated

March 26th, 2018 at 7:40pm CST by marksuleymanov

Lakers point guard Isaiah Thomas is en route to New York to have his ailing hip evaluated, tweets Lakers beat reporter Mike Trudell.

Thomas was ruled out of the Lakers’ last two games on Saturday and Monday due to the hip. He was sidelined for a portion of last year’s postseason due to a right femoral-acetabular impingement with a labral tear in his hip. The injury carried over into 2017/18; after he was traded to the Cavaliers, Thomas did not debut until January 2.

Thomas struggled in 15 games with the Cavaliers, averaging 14.7 PPG and 4.5 APG as the team struggled to mesh. The Cavs went in a different direction at the deadline and traded Thomas to the Lakers.

Thomas has played well in 17 games with Los Angeles, averaging 15.6 APG and 5.0 APG.

It has been a tough past year for Thomas, who finished fifth in NBA Most Valuable Player voting last spring. He is currently on his third team in less than a year, and has not been healthy for most this season. Thomas, who is set to hit free agency after this season, made his desire for a max contract clear in 2017, but that outcome seems very unlikely now.

Injury Notes: Thomas, Paul, Booker, Simmons

March 24th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The hip injury that caused Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas to miss nearly the first half of the season appears to be acting up again, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Thomas woke up this morning with stiffness in his right hip and will be held out of the final two games of the team’s road trip.

Thomas first suffered the injury last year in Boston, and the Cavaliers held him out of the first 36 games of this season while he was recovering. The latest flare-up could be a warning sign for any team interested in the 29-year-old guard when he becomes a free agent this summer.

There’s more news on the NBA injury front:

Down to eight players for tonight’s game, the Lakers will get some help tomorrow when two-way player Gary Payton II joins the team after the G League regular season ends. However, fellow two-way contract holder Alex Caruso is sidelined by a concussion, according to Bill Oram of The SoCal News Group (Twitter link).
Rockets guard Chris Paul will be held out of tonight’s game, but could return tomorrow, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Coach Mike D’Antoni said Paul is making progress after hurting his hamstring Tuesday night.
Devin Booker will miss his fourth straight game tonight with a sprained right hand, but coach Jay Triano is optimistic that he can play Monday, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). T.J. Warren is missing his third consecutive game with left knee inflammation after a non-contact injury last Saturday (Twitter link).
Magic swingman Jonathon Simmons, who has missed the past two games with a right wrist contusion, will probably be held out another week, relays Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
Bulls guard Kris Dunn remains in a walking boot with a toe injury, but was able to exercise today on an elliptical machine, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Swelling has gone down and he will join the team on its upcoming road trip, but coach Fred Hoiberg said Dunn will need to be “reconditioned” if the team doesn’t shut him down for the rest of the season.

Celtics Notes: Smart, Irving, Morris, Thomas, McCarty

March 20th, 2018 at 4:51pm CST by clarkcrum

As indicated in previous stories, Marcus Smart is expected to miss about six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The plan is for Smart to return to action should the Celtics make it to the second round of the playoffs and, per Chris Forsberg of ESPN, Smart is supremely confident that he will be able to return this postseason.

“I am confident [I’ll be back for the playoffs],” Smart said Monday night. “I had one of the top [hand] doctors do it. The surgery was a success… I’m real, real, real excited and eager to get back out there, whenever that is, hopefully it’s sooner than later, like I said. Hopefully the team can and, like I think they’re gonna do, is handle their business and have me back [in the postseason].”

Smart originally thought his injury was only a sprain, and even after further testing revealed more extensive ligament damage, he weighed non-surgical treatment options before finally deciding on having the surgery when doctors told him he risked further complications that might force him out of action for a longer period of time should he have tried to play before undergoing the procedure.

“The first [thing] was could I damage it any more?” Smart said. “When we went to get the second opinion, they said the same thing: The ligament is torn completely. There’s nothing else you can do. Then there was, ‘OK, could I possibly play with it and get the surgery afterwards?’ That came into play and when she said — the doctor pretty much said, ‘If it was me, I would get this now. The longer you wait, the harder it [will be] and cause more complications. So just get it over with and then there’s a possibility you could be back sooner than you thought.'”

There’s more out of Boston:

All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving plans on obtaining a second opinion later this week for his ailing left knee, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
Marcus Morris was fined $15K for “verbal abuse of a game official,” it was announced today by the NBA. The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Celtics’ 19-point loss to New Orleans on Sunday.
Former Celtic and soon-to-be free agent guard Isaiah Thomas is willing to return to Boston next season, reports NBC Sports Boston. Asked on Twitter whether he would consider a reunion this offseason, Thomas tweeted, “Anything can happen.”
Celtics assistant coach and former player Walter McCarty will interview for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Evansville, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Born and raised in Evansville, IN, McCarty is looking to become a head coach for the first time after also having spent time as an assistant at the University of Louisville and with the Pacers.

Pacific Notes: Thomas, Rivers, Williams, Thornwell, Evans

March 16th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by marksuleymanov

Isaiah Thomas has made it clear that he sees himself as a starter and not a reserve player, the role he has occupied since he was traded to the Lakers. The Lakers will have ample cap space this summer with the intention of luring at least two top free agents. Unless the Lakers want to start Thomas alongside Lonzo Ball, it’s unlikely that Thomas re-signs with Los Angeles.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report opines that while a Thomas reunion with the Lakers is unlikely, it should not be ruled out. LeBron James and Paul George will be the Lakers’ top two targets; James and Thomas were teammates for 15 games in Cleveland this season. If James decides to sign with the Lakers, Thomas re-signing likely becomes more unlikely, Pincus writes.

“Of course, if Thomas insists he’s a starter and will only re-sign on that contingency, the Lakers would presumably need to start him alongside Ball,” Pincus writes. “If George and Ingram are forwards, perhaps [Julius] Randle slides over to start at center.”

Starting two point guards — including a 29-year-old coming off an injury-riddled season — does not sound like something the Lakers would prefer.

Check out more Pacific Division notes below:

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers was fined $15K for criticizing the officials in the team’s loss to the Rockets on Thursday, per ESPN. Rivers was critical of the referees’ lack of calls for his team.
Sindarius Thornwell and Jawun Evans were prepared for the G League this season and were not expecting significant minutes with the Clippers. A rash of injuries have given Thornwell and Evans key roles, in which they have excelled, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.
Suns big man Alan Williams was assigned to the G League’s Northern Arizona Suns this week. However, he will not play for the NBA team until he gets into a game with the G League affiliate, which is expected on Wednesday, tweets Scott Bordow of Arizona Central Sports.

Lakers Notes: Thomas, Randle, LeBron

March 15th, 2018 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing the first half of the 2017/18 season with a hip injury and struggling to find his groove in Cleveland, Isaiah Thomas has looked better in his last couple weeks with the Lakers, averaging nearly 20 PPG in March. That comes as no surprise to the veteran point guard, who continues to come off the bench most games for L.A., but tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he’s “no sixth man.”

“I won’t be a sixth man (in the future). I just want everybody to know that, like clear as can be,” Thomas said. “I’m a two-time All-Star and a starter who has done things that a lot of people in this league haven’t done (when) given that opportunity.”

Head coach Luke Walton acknowledges that Thomas has probably earned a starting spot based on his career résumé, but tells Amick that the Lakers are “in a unique situation.” With Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. no longer on the roster, the team needed a leader for its second unit, and Walton challenged Thomas to be that leader. For now, Thomas is on board with that plan, though he’s still looking forward to a time when he’s 100% healthy and when he’s given the chance to be the kind of player he was with the Celtics.

“My body’s feeling better. It’s just – it’s going to take time to get back to that level, but also – which I tell people – my opportunity is not the same as it was when I was in Boston,” Thomas said. “Even when I was in Cleveland, it wasn’t the same as it was in Boston, so you can’t expect me to go out and average 30 points when I’m not given that same opportunity. If that opportunity comes back, and when it does – because I know it will – I promise you: I’ll be more than ready to take advantage of that opportunity, and be back on top.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Thomas and Julius Randle got into a shouting match on the Lakers’ bench during Wednesday’s loss to Golden State and had to be separated. However, the two players downplayed the incident after the game and Walton suggested that he has no problem with two “passionate” people arguing, as long as they “get it figured out,” according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Both players will be free agents this summer.
While LeBron James has long been considered the Lakers’ top target in 2018 free agency, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report wonders if James is the right long-term fit for a young Lakers team.
As part of a series focusing on lottery-bound teams, David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders explains how he would “fix” the Lakers.
Earlier today, I identified seven wild cards to take into account when determining how much cap room the Lakers will actually have this offseason.

L.A. Notes: LeBron, Lakers, Gallinari, Thornwell

March 11th, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers fans may be dreaming about signing LeBron James this summer, but the franchise isn’t in position to give him a chance to win championships, writes Mark Heisler of The Orange County Register. That will be James’ main criteria when he enters free agency, Heisler adds, as he hopes to match Michael Jordan‘s total of six titles before he retires.

James’ recent purchase of a house in the Los Angeles area won’t affect his decision, Heisler claims, and neither will the chance to play with a young core made up of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle and Lonzo Ball. Unless the Lakers can convince James that his presence would make them an instant contender, they’ll be a long shot to bring him to L.A.

There’s more NBA news out of Los Angeles:

With the playoffs slipping out of reach, the Lakers will spend the rest of this season deciding which free agents they want to keep, states Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. With only five players under contract for 2018/19, Brook Lopez, Isaiah Thomas and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be among those auditioning for jobs, as will Channing Frye if he returns after an appendectomy.
Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari will have his right hand examined next week to determine if he needs surgery, tweets Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points. Gallinari added that swelling and discoloration in the hand have subsided since he suffered a non-displaced fracture late last month. Gallinari is averaging 15.9 points per night, but has been limited to 19 games by a variety of injuries.
Rookie Clippers guard Sindarius Thornwell made his first start in nearly three months Friday and responded with a career-high 14 points in a win over the Cavaliers, notes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Thornwell’s playing time had slipped as the team tried out two-way guards C.J. Williams and Tyrone Wallace, but he was ready when coach Doc Rivers called on him to match up with James. “I guess it’s just Doc’s way of seeing if I’m ready to play,” Thornwell said. “He just wants to see if I’m focused and locked in. But my starts are always on somebody tough.”

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Osman, Teletovic, Payne

March 11th, 2018 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Today will bring the Cavaliers’ first look at Isaiah Thomas since trading him to the Lakers last month, notes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Thomas became a scapegoat for all that went wrong in Cleveland through the first half of this season. He was expected to take the place of Kyrie Irving as one of the centerpieces of the deal with the Celtics, but a lingering hip injury, poor shooting and a questionable effort on defense caused the Cavs to unload him as part of a roster makeover at the deadline.

There weren’t many people in Cleveland who were sad to see Thomas leave, but former teammate Jeff Green still maintains a relationship with him.

“I wanted him to do well,” Green said. “I watched him from his early on days in Sacramento and Phoenix. And what he did in Boston was remarkable for that organization, and I wanted him to succeed. I wanted him to get what he deserves, and also, that max deal and being on a winning team and winning a championship. But, you know, it didn’t happen, it didn’t work out, and I’m still rooting for him to do well. Just not against us.”

There’s more news from the Central Division:

Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman will be sidelined for about two weeks with a left hip flexor strain, the team announced on its website. An MRI confirmed the damage Saturday after the injury forced him out of Friday’s game with the Clippers.
The Bucks will have to wait until November to petition the league for salary cap relief involving Mirza Teletovic, writes Matt Velasquez of The Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee can seek to have the $10.5MM Teletovic will make next season removed from its cap because of a medically induced retirement. However, the team must wait a year from the last game he played, which was November 7. Teletovic had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee later that month, which is when doctors discovered blood clots in his lungs.
Bulls guard Cameron Payne is trying to erase the negative perception that many Chicago fans have after his poor play last season, relays K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Payne was a disappointment in 11 games after being acquired from the Thunder, then was sidelined until February 22 of this season following foot surgery. “I think I’ve played well,” Payne said. “Obviously I had a couple bad shooting days. But I feel the second unit has been playing pretty good. But we’re not winning so it really doesn’t matter.”

Isaiah Thomas On Free Agency: Just Need ‘One Team To Love You’

March 1st, 2018 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

After finishing fifth in MVP voting last season, Isaiah Thomas has endured a disastrous 2017/18. Having been traded from the Celtics to the Cavaliers to the Lakers, Thomas has battled a hip injury and has seen his stock slip precipitously over the course of the season. Nonetheless, he’s remaining optimistic about his upcoming free agency, saying today that “all you need is one team to love you,” as ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk relays.

“It’s like the draft all over again. You just need one team,” Thomas said. “My résumé speaks for itself. What I can do on the basketball floor speaks for itself. I can’t do nothing but control what I can control, and that is taking advantage of any opportunity that I am given and playing my heart out. But come July, I got to weigh my options to do what is best for myself and my family.”

A year ago, when he was still a relatively healthy Celtic, Thomas spoke about the possibility of a maximum-salary contract, suggesting that Boston would need to “bring the Brinks truck out.” As the 2018 offseason nears, the idea of that sort of mega-deal seems far-fetched.

After averaging 28.9 PPG and 5.9 APG on .463/.379/.909 shooting in 2016/17, Thomas has seen those numbers slip to 14.3 PPG, 4.5 APG, and .369/.269/.899 in 21 games this season. While that drop-off can be attributed – at least in part – to his hip problems, that injury itself is a red flag for teams considering investing in the 29-year-old this summer. Still, Thomas believes he’s capable of returning to his previous form.

“It is, ‘What have you done for me lately?'” Thomas said. “That is the league that we are in and I understand that. But if I am given the same opportunity that I was given in Boston, I would do the same thing and that is just what it is. They’ll [people who have forgotten what Thomas can do] come back around, I am positive about that.”

As Youngmisuk notes, most NBA teams won’t have much – or any – cap space this summer, and many of those that will have space already have talented point guards on their rosters. As such, Thomas’ options in free agency figure to be limited. As Thomas himself observes, it would only take one team to put a big offer on the table, but Youngmisuk suggests a lucrative, J.J. Redick-esque one-year contract may be the best Thomas can hope for, unless he’s willing to go the mid-level route for a multiyear deal.