Boston Celtics: Pros and cons of signing Isaiah Thomas

Cons of the Boston Celtics signing Isaiah Thomas

Our idea of bringing on Isaiah Thomas this year involves the Boston Celtics shelling out little money in the process — be it a try-out 10-day minimum or a minimum-level contract.

That said, even at such a low cost the idea of bringing in the veteran is not universally loved amongst the fans, and a big reason is because of the implications that it would have for the team’s youngsters, specifically rookie standout, Payton Pritchard.

So far into his first season in the league, 2020’s No. 26 overall pick is proving to be one of the biggest steals of this past draft class.

Though his averages of 6.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists may not exactly “blow you away”, it is his efficiency (45 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent shooting from deep) and hustle on the hardwood that has captivated the hearts of Cs fans and the trust from his coaching staff.

A huge part of a rookie’s development comes from opportunity and playing time. Because of their lacking backcourt depth, their second first-round selection has managed to attain the more consistent minutes within the rotation in comparison to his counterpart, Aaron Nesmith, and, in turn, he has proven to be an important second-unit piece.

Adding a guy like Thomas into the mix could ultimately complicate things for the 23-year-old, as he’d have to eat into Pritchard’s playing time — with their small statures, it’s not like the Celtics could get away with playing them at the same time — which could wind up hindering his progression and development.

Not only this, but bringing on the veteran could potentially have an impact on the chemistry being built within the rotation as a whole, as they currently find themselves in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have come away with a ‘W’ in five of their last six outings.

During this final stretch, sticking to what has been working could be the key between potentially winding up with home-court advantage and having to participate in the play-in.