While a number of fringe NBA All-Stars have cashed in on max-contract opportunities during the past two offseasons, Isaiah Thomas has been patiently waiting for his big payday. And he knows it’s coming.
The Boston Celtics All-Star point guard had a career year during the 2016-17 campaign, and he hopes the C’s know how much he’s worth when his contract expires after next season.
“I’m a max guy,” Thomas told CSNNE on Friday, as transcribed by WEEI. “I deserve the max and we’re just going to continue to take care of business on the court and let the cards fall where they may. I’m happy for all the guards and all the other guys getting their money because they deserve it. But my time is coming. They know they’ve got to bring the Brinks truck out. They know that.”
Thomas averaged 28.9 points per game last season while leading the Celtics to the top seed in the Eastern Conference and a berth in the conference finals.
He’s set to make $6.2 million in the coming season, and when he becomes a free agent next summer, he’ll likely obtain a contract somewhere in the ballpark of five years, $179 million, as USA TODAY’s Sam Amick reported in February.
Boston, of course, just agreed to sign star forward Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $128 million contract, and as Danny Ainge’s vision begins to take its final form, the Celtics likely will back up those trucks to keep Thomas in the fold for the foreseeable future.
Thumbnail photo via Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY Sports Images
