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Former Celtics All-Star Attempting Another NBA Return

By Efstathios Savvidis

Jan 15, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla hands the ball back to an official during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Jan 15, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla hands the ball back to an official during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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Isaiah Thomas was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Boston Celtics on February 19th, 2015, for Marcus Thornton and a 2016 first-round pick. With the Suns, Thomas averaged 15.2 points and 3.7 assists in 25.7 minutes of action. He joined a Celtics team that was in the second year of a rebuild and missed the playoffs the previous season for the first time since 2007.  

Little did Celtics fans know that Thomas would become a fan favorite and turn the Celtics back to title contenders. In just two and a half seasons, Thomas played in 179 games for the Celtics, averaging 24.7 points, 6 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game. Thomas was selected to two All-Star games in his tenure, making second-team All-NBA in 2017, finishing 5th place in MVP voting, and leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

In a shocking move that stunned both fans and Thomas himself, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers after playing through a nagging hip injury and the loss of his sister. His hip injury has prevented him from finding a permanent team as he’s played on eight different teams since the trade, playing on ten-day contracts and in the G-league since 2021. Despite this, Thomas isn’t quitting on his comeback to the NBA, per ESPN's Shams Charania.  

NBA News: Isaiah Thomas Attempting an NBA Return

Thomas agreed to join the Utah Jazz’s Salt Lake City G-League team. He played for them in 2021, averaging 41.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in four games. Thomas, who turns 36 on February 7th, last played for the Phoenix Suns in 2024, averaging 1.3 points in six games. 

This is great news for Celtics fans who want to see Thomas continue his basketball career and hopefully have a chance to see him on an NBA court again. Although it doesn’t seem likely at this stage of his career that we see Thomas carving out a role with an NBA team, his veteran presence could help a young team that needs to develop. 

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