Looking into how untouchable Isaiah Thomas may be amidst all the trade rumors
Amidst a rebuild, Danny Ainge made one of the influential decisions in recent Boston Celtics history. As the 2015 NBA trade deadline loomed, the Celtics stood at 20-31. It seemed that Boston was going to miss the playoffs for the second straight season; the rebuild was in full effect.
February 19th, 2015, the Boston Celtics acquire Isaiah Thomas in exchange for Marcus Thornton and a 2016 first-round pick. That first-round selection was used by Phoenix to draft Skal Labissiere.
From the moment the news broke, the Celtics experienced a jolt of positive energy. With Isaiah Thomas on the hardwood, Boston went 20-10 to conclude the regular season, slipping into the playoffs for a series with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After getting swept by Cleveland, the Celtics reloaded and prepared for improvement in 2015-16. Boston indeed improved, finishing 48-34, 5th in the Eastern Conference. These strides forward were largely due to the stellar play from Isaiah Thomas. The little guy averaged 22.2 points, and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 43% from the field.
Thomas’ mere presence in Boston has made the Celtics competitive in the NBA. Danny Ainge and company recognize that Thomas and the roster assembled around him are not enough to secure banner 18. The Celtics have aggressively pursued a franchise changing player that will transform the Celtics from playoff regular, to championship contender.
This was on display recently with the Kevin Durant pitch, and the willingness to trade picks during this past NBA Draft.
After much speculation, the Celtics came out empty-handed on both draft night and in the Durant sweepstakes. They instead signed all-star center Al Horford, a crucial piece forward in the pursuit of another championship. With a revamped roster and lottery picks galore from Brooklyn, the Celtics are in a good position to win a championship in the near future.
Without Isaiah Thomas, none of this is possible.
The Celtics have no pitch to other NBA stars, there is no optimism about the future without Thomas. The fact that Durant considered Boston and Horford signed, that is because Thomas laid the ground work that attracts others.
Without all that Thomas has done and is currently doing, the Celtics are not in such a favorable position to attack the future.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll once said, “Everyone’s job is important, but no one is indispensable.”
Yes, Thomas’ job recruiting talent to play alongside him, and performing on the court is immensely important for the Celtics’ future. With that being said, he is not an irreplaceable piece within the Celtics organization.
Rumors have floated around about Boston possibly targeting the likes of Russell Westbrook, Demarcus Cousins, and Blake Griffin. Rarely is Isaiah Thomas involved in these trade rumors, players that are commonly mentioned include Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley.
Despite this, if the Celtics had the chance to acquire a game-changing star for the price of Thomas, my bet would be that the Thomas packs his bag for other endeavors.
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The likelihood that Thomas becomes a serious pawn in future trade discussions is slim. Right now, he means too much for the team and for the city. He truly loves playing for the Celtics and goes to war for the fans in Boston every single game. Still, the objective here is to win championships, if another banner hanging in TD Garden’s rafters costs the services of Thomas, then without a doubt, he’s available.