Does Isaiah Thomas have a better comeback chance than Kemba Walker?

Things don’t seem to go too well for Boston Celtics point guards once they leave the franchise and head elsewhere.

Isaiah Thomas’ trajectory after being swapped for Kyrie Irving is a sad one. The former C’s MVP candidate hasn’t been able to find any semblance of a home, shuffling from franchise to franchise and playing no more than half a season with any one of them.

As for Irving himself, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy and help deliver the Brooklyn Nets their first NBA Championship. He skipped the Lake Buena Vista bubble altogether and ended up unable to suit up against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals this past June. He has missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season thus far due to New York’s COVID-19 restrictions and Irving’s unwillingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

That leaves Kemba Walker, who hasn’t had a full-time replacement tabbed, possibly because of the cursed point guard pasts of the three previous 1s before him. Walker has fallen out of the New York Knicks’ rotation and is catching serious heat from the local NY media. It appears as though the bad luck of former Cs floor generals after leaving the team is continuing.

Of the three, Irving’s situation is likeliest to have a happy ending. He seems likely to return this season with a potential changes to local laws.

Walker certainly isn’t guaranteed to return to his previous level, given his current situation has many doubting his ability to remain an NBA player. Then there’s IT, who is on the verge of returning to the G-League after playing with the USA Basketball Select Team.

Which Boston Celtics point guard will be back to prominence first: Isaiah Thomas or Kemba Walker?

Truth be told, the climb is still more of an uphill one for Thomas than it is for Walker, who is just two years removed from an All-Star appearance as a starter.

It could just be Walker being a bad fit with his hometown team. Tom Thibodeau has an affinity for Derrick Rose but is likely growing fondness for Immanuel Quickley as well. Walker may not have a seat at that table, but opportunities elsewhere–specifically where his defensive deficiencies could be hidden a bit–should be available.

Thomas’ professional journey could very well end in the G-League if he doesn’t impress during the upcoming 2021 NBA G League Winter Showcase.

Hardwood Houdini would bet on him figuring things out, but the IT comeback narrative always seems to have a tragic twist to derail it somehow.