This is not a drill: There is an actual — and credible — report linking Isaiah Thomas to the Boston Celtics.
Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein on Monday nestled this juicy nugget within his lengthy NBA free agency piece:
“Boston, I’m told, has interest in an Isaiah Thomas reunion, with new Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens known to be one of Thomas’ biggest fans.”
We’ll see if it actually happens, but a Thomas reunion certainly is fascinating to think about, regardless of whether you think it would be a good idea for Stevens and the Celtics.
Thomas starred and became a fan favorite during his two-plus seasons in Boston. His finest performance came in the 2016-17 campaign, during which he averaged 28.9 points per game while earning All-Star and All-NBA nods.
Thomas, who battled a serious hip injury during those playoffs, was dealt as part of the Kyrie Irving trade during the ensuing offseason. He appeared in just 87 combined games over the next four seasons while battling nagging injuries, including issues with his long-ailing hip.
He played in six games last season, all with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 32-year-old averaged 7.7 points per game.
After the Irving trade, Thomas initially — and transparently — held contempt for his former team. But his stance eventually softened, and he even publicly lobbied for a Celtics reunion, one which Danny Ainge was not interested in.
Thomas himself in January claimed hopes of a Celtics reunion had evaporated.
Now, finally and surprisingly, there might be a real chance Thomas’s dreams — along with the dreams of many Celtics fans — coming true.
