Boston Celtics fans everywhere will remember Isaiah Thomas’ 2016-17 season for a long time, but the point guard’s run following those heroics has been much less memorable.
Thomas played through a hip injury in 2017 that consequently derailed his career. The 30-year-old recently signed with the Washington Wizards, making it his fourth team in three years, but he says he’s looking forward to the opportunity.
He recently spoke to the media and discussed his time with the Celtics, saying he “took a bullet” by playing with an injury, ultimately killing his chance at a max contract.
“I took a bullet,” Thomas said, via NBC Sports Washington. “That’s in terms of max contracts, all that. People not playing to get their max deals. I took a bullet for sure.
“I was going through other stuff at that time, so basketball was the only thing that was helping me through that time off the court. But I feel like yeah, especially with the Kawhi Leonard thing, he sat out for a reason. He seen my situation, for sure he seen it. The list goes on. Load management I think is smart for players.”
Looking back on the situation, Thomas likely would have been in line for a max deal had he stopped playing, but like he said, his decision has impacted the way players handle their contracts today for the better, as they use it as a lesson learned.
With John Wall sidelined due to an Achilles injury and Tomas Satoransky heading to the Chicago Bulls, Thomas will get a chance to play quality minutes in Washington.
