It sounds like Isaiah Thomas will be adding the title of NBA recruiter to his resume this summer.
The Boston Celtics plan to be big players in free agency this offseason, and Danny Ainge, the team’s president of basketball operations, is seeking the help of his No. 1 scorer.
“Danny said if there’s any free agent out there I’m interested in, to let him know,” Thomas told The Boston Globe. “That has me excited. For him to ask for my input means a lot, because it means I’m definitely, right now, a part of the future, and they also value your word and what you think about the game of basketball. It means a lot, and it’s a mutual respect we have. Now, hopefully, we can get a few guys.”
What type of guys? The point guard — like many Celtics fans — would like to see Boston land a rim protector.
“A defensive-minded player,” Thomas told the Globe. “It’d be nice to get one of those in the draft. A lot of the big men out there could definitely help us out. But I know Danny is always up to something.”
Thomas, who joined the Celtics at the trade deadline this past season and quickly became one of the team’s most important players, took the opportunity to lay out his recruiting pitch to free agents who might not be totally sold on the prospect of spending their winters in New England.
“The history behind the Boston Celtics is what you want,” he told the Globe. “And the city of Boston is definitely a sports city. They love their players and support their players. Really, everything you want in a basketball team and organization is here. It might not be Miami or L.A. with the weather, but what’s most important is the culture. And I can only imagine, when we really get good, what the city would be like.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
