Boston Celtics: 3 former C’s that would have been helpful this year

Isaiah Thomas, PG (Celtics tenure: 2015 – 2017)

First up on our list we have a player whom we have been pleading with Danny Ainge to consider bringing back to the team all season. Shipped off to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the deal that landed the Boston Celtics Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas‘ career has seemingly crumbled right before our very eyes.

Finishing fourth in the running for the 2016-17 league MVP — averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists on 46 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from deep — Thomas proved in his short two and-a-half season stint with the C’s that he bled green through thick and thin.

Since being traded away back in 2017 the point guard has suited up for four separate teams and, since being waived by the Los Angeles Clippers at this past February’s trade deadline, finds himself residing on the open market, simply waiting for his phone to ring.

Make the phone ring Danny. Make it ring!

Say the season does resume to action at some point this year, the Boston Celtics could seriously use some help in their backcourt behind Kemba Walker.

As things currently stand the team’s primary second unit point guard is the 30 year old sophomore Brad Wanamaker. Through 63 games played in 2019-20 the point guard has posted averages of 6.6 points and 2.5 assists per game on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep.

To say the least, Wanamaker has given us zero hints that he is capable of leading an offense — something a point guard, typically, should be able to do — and, simply has underwhelmed as the team’s primary backup to Walker at the one.

Thomas, on the other hand, proved capable of serving as a solid point guard this year — both in a starting lineup and coming off the bench –, averaging 12.2 points and 3.7 assists per game on 41 percent shooting from 3 while playing with the Washington Wizards.

With Thomas in tow this season the Boston Celtics would have had a quality backup point guard who can actually lead an entire unit, has an offensive minded style of play (something they could use off the bench) and who has only proven to thrive in a Brad Stevens run system.

If the roster consisted of IT coming off their bench, perhaps they wouldn’t be ranking 29th in the entire league in bench points per game and would actually have a proven ball handler and offensive leader coming off the pine.