Former Charlotte Hornets guard Isaiah Thomas (4) Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Former MVP candidate aiming for NBA return

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 12/9/23

During the 2016-17 season, Isaiah Thomas finished in the top five of MVP voting. The score-first point guard had risen to prominence during an exceptional spell with the Boston Celtics.

However, a hip injury derailed his rise toward the top of the NBA. Thomas has never been the same player. Boston traded Thomas at the end of the season in a deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics.

Since then, Thomas has bounced around the NBA and scarcely found himself in a position to make an impact off a team's bench. However, those false starts haven't discouraged the five-foot-nine guard. Even now, as an unrestricted free agent in his second season without a team, Thomas wants to find his way back to the NBA.

“I’m still trying to play the game of basketball," Thomas told Mat Issa of Forbes. "I want to get back to the NBA. So, I’m still working out and staying ready.”

“I’m still trying to play the game of basketball. I want to get back to the NBA. So, I’m still working out and staying ready.”

Check out my interview with Isaiah Thomas ⬇️⬇️:https://t.co/9NdN3SAyeL
— Mat Issa (@matissa15) December 8, 2023

There's no doubt that Thomas could still provide an offensive spark off a team's bench. However, since his hip surgery in 2017, he hasn't had the same lift on his jump shot. He's also a bit slower with his first step.

Without the ability to take his man off the dribble, Thomas' effectiveness as a score-first guard is limited. Factor in his lack of size and impact on the defensive end, and you can see why teams are reluctant to add him to their rotation.

Still, Thomas could likely give a team double-digit scoring off the bench as a spot-up shooter who attacks close-outs.

The league is changing, though. The talent level continues to rise at breakneck speed. Now, players have to be elite at more than one skill if they want a spot within a rotation. At 34 years old, with two years outside of the NBA, there's no guarantee Thomas could provide the multi-faceted impact teams are looking for.

He may once have been an MVP-caliber player, but now, Thomas's best chance of a legitimate role likely resides in Europe. That may be a tough pill to swallow.

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