Is Isaiah Thomas Still in the NBA?
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Is Isaiah Thomas still in the NBA? This is a question that many people are asking, especially after he was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Thomas has not been in the NBA for a while now, but he is still under contract with the Lakers. However, it is unclear if he will ever play for them again.
Only time will tell if Isaiah Thomas will make a return to the NBA.
Who is Isaiah Thomas?
Isaiah Thomas is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Washington, and was a second-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10 as a junior. Thomas was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft.
A brief history of his NBA career
Isaiah Thomas is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played three seasons of college basketball for the University of Washington before being selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Thomas became a two-time All-Star with the Kings and was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2014. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics in 2015, where he helped lead the team to appearing in two consecutive Eastern Conference finals, including winning an conference title in 2017. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers midway through the 2017–18 season, and was then dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers prior to the 2018–19 season. After one season with the Lakers, Thomas signed with the Wizards.
Standing at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m), Thomas has been considered one of the most successful undersized players in NBA history. Despite his lack of size and athleticism, he has established himself as one of the league’s most prolific scorers and a capable playmaker.
Why was he traded?
Isaiah Thomas was traded to the Lakers on Thursday in a deal that sends Thomas and Channing Frye to the Lakers for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr., according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The trade comes just months after Thomas was acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics.
His injury
Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 8, 2018, as part of a three-team deal involving the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat. The trade sent Thomas, Channing Frye, and a first-round draft pick to the Lakers in exchange for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.
The trade was widely seen as a salary dump by the Cavaliers, who were looking to unload Thomas’ contract after he had been hampered by injuries throughout the 2017-18 season. After being traded, Thomas played in just 17 games for the Lakers before being shut down for the remainder of the season due to continued problems with his hip.
His contract
The main reason Isaiah Thomas was traded was due to his contract. He is set to become a free agent after the 2017-18 season, and it is unlikely that the Celtics would have been able to resign him. This past season, Thomas proved that he is still one of the best scorers in the NBA, averaging 28.9 points per game. However, his defensive shortcomings and lack of size (he is listed at 5’9″) make him a liability on the court.
The Celtics decided to trade Thomas before he became a free agent in order to get something in return for him, rather than letting him walk away for nothing. They believe that they can still compete for a championship without him, as they have a talented roster that includes All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Al Horford.
Where is he now?
After being traded to the Lakers, and then released, Isaiah Thomas has been a journeyman in the NBA. He’s been on the Nuggets, Wolves, Cavaliers, and currently is on the Washington Wizards. So what has he been up to?
The Los Angeles Lakers
In 2017, Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. On July 2, 2018, he agreed to a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets. In February 2019, he was traded back to the Lakers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
Isaiah Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August 2017, along withChanning Frye and a future draft pick, in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
Thomas played in his first game for the Cavaliers on January 2, 2018, against the Portland Trail Blazers. In that game, he scored 15 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
On February 8, 2018, Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, along withChanning Frye and a future draft pick, in exchange for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.
What is his future?
Thomas was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, but was waived before playing for them. He signed with the Denver Nuggets in 2019, but was again waived before playing for them. Thomas is currently a free agent.
His injury
Isaiah Thomas suffered a devastating hip injury in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and he has still not recovered enough to take the court for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thomas was traded to the Cavs in a deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics, but he has yet to play a single game for his new team. It is unclear when or if Thomas will be able to return to the court, and his future in the NBA is very much up in the air.
His contract
Isaiah Thomas’s NBA future is up in the air after he was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers. His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and it is unclear if the Lakers will re-sign him. However, given his recent injury history and declining production, it seems unlikely that he will receive a significant contract offer from any team. As such, Thomas may have to settle for a minimum salary deal or even retire from the NBA altogether.