NBA Rumors: Executives Around the League Not Expecting Isaiah Thomas to Get a Big Free Agent Deal This Summer
It was just a year ago when then-Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas was wowing basketball fans all over the world with his determination, grit and skillfulness.
Thomas was the catalyst for the offense of a Celtics team that finished with the number one seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and although his postseason run was cut short by injury, it seemed that he had done enough to show the world that the 60th overall pick in the 2011 draft is a force to be reckoned with.
When Thomas was moved, along with some other players, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last offseason, many fans were thrilled by the possibility that the diminutive guard would get the chance to work his magic alongside future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
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Unfortunately for Thomas, things haven't exactly gone as planned since then.
Thomas' abbreviated stint with the Cavaliers was most memorable for its lowlights than any victories on the floor. Almost as soon as Thomas joined his teammates on the floor, he looked out of place and ineffective, although the lingering effects of his injury probably contributed to that, too.
While Thomas' numbers did improve slightly after a midseason trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, his stats overall for the 2017–18 were still way down from what he posted the previous year, as can be seen on his Basketball Reference page.
Arguably the most unfortunate part for Thomas is that his numbers dropped off right at the time when he could have least afforded that to happen.
With Thomas set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, he will obviously try to secure the most lucrative deal he can, but it's unclear if any team will offer the dream deal he desires.
An anonymous NBA executive who recently spoke to the Sporting News indicated that it would be tough to give Thomas more than a one-year offer. If Thomas is intent on landing a multi-year, then the most he may get is a 1+1 deal where the second year is a team option.
An unknown general manager speculated that there will be a team out there that will sign Thomas, but that franchise may only agree to a low-risk deal.
Taking a deal like that would be a tough pill to swallow for Thomas given all the work he's put in just to show he belongs in this league, but the reality is that teams will not pay for past performance, and they will focus more on what a player can do moving forward.
For Thomas, the best thing he may be able to do this summer is to find a team where he knows he'll be given consistent playing time and then use that opportunity to show once again that he is still more than capable of lighting defenses up.
Thomas may find it impossible to land the deal that he feels he deserves this summer, but there is still a chance for him to snag that contract if he can prove that he remains as one of the deadliest scorers in the league when healthy.
