Analyst's demoralizing statement on Suns signing ex-Boston Celtics PG Isaiah Thomas: 'Desperation is in the air'

Arizona Sports' Dan Brickley believes that the Phoenix Suns' signing of Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract denotes "desperation in the air" for a current Western Conference Play-In Tournament team; one that formed a Big Three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal before the 2023-24 season.

"We have issues on Planet Orange," Brickley prefaced before saying, "Desperation is in the air. Partly because there is very little desperation on the basketball court. With 14 games left in the regular season, the Suns are reportedly taking a 10-day flier on point guard Isaiah Thomas, one of the most tenacious underdogs in NBA history. It’s a wild swing for a team with championship aspirations.

"I hope it works. Thomas is 5-foot-9 and a born fighter. He’s beaten the odds his entire life. The chip on his shoulder is permanent. It’s easy to rally around a player like him. He’s also 35 years old. He hasn’t played in the NBA for two years. He’s a ball-dominant point scorer known for creating his own offense, and the Suns don’t need any more offense. They need defense, leadership and a greater sense of urgency."

Former Boston Celtics PG Isaiah Thomas for being only pure PG on Suns by one analyst

Not everyone is down on the Suns' Thomas signing. CBS Sports' Jack Maloney believes that Thomas provides Phoenix with something they didn't have in their backcourt: a pure pass-first point guard.

"While Thomas is more of a scorer than a playmaker, he is an actual point guard, which is something the Suns have lacked all season long," Maloney prefaced before saying, "Furthermore, he remains a knock-down shooter from the perimeter, and the Suns are 26th in the league in 3-point attempts per game (32). As a back-up guard who can run an offense and space the floor, Thomas could still be a helpful player down the stretch."

Thomas isn't as strong of a distributor as Booker at this point, and there's a case that both Durant and Beal have him beat in the playmaking department as well. But if he can operate at similar levels to what Jordan Goodwin gave them before he was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies, then IT will be a signing who will have nudged the needle forward. If only a smidge.

Maybe all a smidge is what the Suns need to not need a Play-In Tournament game to lock up a playoff seed out west.