Goodbye Isaiah Thomas

Goodbye Isaiah Thomas, and thank you for everything

Danny Ainge has finally made his blockbuster trade, and what a trade it was. The Boston Celtics get Kyrie Irving while sending the Cleveland Cavaliers Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Nets 2018 pick.

While it is true that the toughest part of the trade on paper is the Nets pick, that is not what is going to make this trade hurt so much. Thomas was not with the Celtics long, but he left a mark on each and every fan, and none of them should ever forget it,

At the very beginning of the rebuild, when there was no hope for any semblance of success, the Celtics traded for Thomas, and he carried them to the playoffs coming off the bench.

After that, he started carrying the team as a starter, leading the overachieving band of misfits, giving fans one of the most special seasons we could have imagined, even if it ended quickly in the playoffs.

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Then, in his final season, Thomas gave the Celtics something that should have been impossible. Thomas had one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of the game, had one of the most clutch seasons the league has ever seen, took down the Cavaliers for the number one seed, and brought them to the Conference Finals.

Thomas revitalized the energy of this franchise, and made them relevant once again. You can say what you want about his height and his defense, but the Celtics may not have a single playoff appearance in the last three years without him.

Don’t forget, Thomas may have been the biggest factor in bringing in Al Horford, and without the two of them this rebuild is looked at completely differently.

Thomas was not just the most important player on the court, he was the most dedicated and continually the most improved. Nobody worked harder than Thomas at making sure that not only he got better, but that he got better in a way that would make his team even better.

Thomas is a gift that would be impossible to repay, and to see him go with one year left on his contract is going to hurt for a while, and it will hurt so much more when he is not in Celtics green to open up the season.

In the end, this is a business, and Ainge made the move that he thought was necessary for this team.

What made Thomas so special, however, is that he made it feel like more than a business. Thomas played with the kind of heart that doesn’t even come around once in a generation. He was inseparable from the heart and soul of each of his teammates.

He went far beyond being an inspiration, and he brought the team together as a family in a way that maybe no one else in the NBA can do. Thomas is the embodiment of everything that is great in sports. The spirit and intensity he brings as he breaks down any obstacle in his way should be remembered forever.

Thomas embodied the chip on the shoulder underdog mentality that carried this team throughout the rebuild, and he brought out a special spirit in his teammates that will never be quantified.

It is gut wrenching to lose Thomas, and I can only imagine what the rest of the team is going through right now.

There really is no way to properly appreciate and celebrate what Thomas did for the Celtics. He was here for such a short time, but it feels like he will be remembered in Celtics lore forever.

Thomas already has the best case for the most unique player in the history of the NBA. He does things on the court that should be impossible, and he does it at a higher level than maybe anyone else.

Maybe the thing I was most excited about was seeing how Thomas would grow once again next season, and now it will be brutal watching that happen for the Cavaliers.

Next: Boston Celtics Trade for Kyrie Irving

It is utterly fascinating to think Thomas is now standing in the way of the Celtics reaching their goal in the Finals. For now, however, thank you Isaiah Thomas, for everything.