UPDATE (8:24 p.m. ET): Isaiah Thomas’ tribute video will have to wait a little longer, as the Cleveland Cavaliers guard once again has asked the Boston Celtics to postpone the festivities out of respect to Paul Pierce.
ORIGINAL STORY: Isaiah Thomas’ tribute video has become far more of a circus than recognition of a player’s contributions to his team.
The date the video now is scheduled to be played — Feb. 11 — coincides with the jersey retirement ceremony of Paul Pierce.
Pierce has weighed in on the decision, saying the night should just be for him, and numerous other players have agreed. Ahead of the Boston Celtics’ tilt with the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, Tony Allen and Rajon Rondo, two of Pierces’ teammates from their 2007-08 championship-winning team who now play for New Orleans, weighed in on the conflict.
Let’s just say they aren’t fans.
Count Tony Allen among those against an IT tribute on same night as Pierce's number retirement: "They don't belong in the same frame, man."
— Mark Murphy (@Murf56) January 16, 2018
Rajon Rondo is also emphatic that the Celtics should not honor Isaiah Thomas on same night they'll retire Paul Pierce's number.
— Bill Doyle (@BillDoyle15) January 16, 2018
The rationale for the timing simply is that it is the last time the Cleveland Cavaliers will be at TD Garden during the regular season.
The previous time the Cavs guard was in Boston, he didn’t want a tribute video played because not only was he not playing, but he wanted his family to be in town as well.
But now with just a few weeks to go until Feb 11, things could continue to get interesting in this ceremonial saga.
