Boston Celtics' analyst makes an absurd pitch for team to reunite with former star
The Boston Celtics are having such a dominant regular season that it's only natural that the rumor mill is starting to get a little wild.
Former MVP candidate and fan favorite Isaiah Thomas recently pitched his case for a reunion with the Cs, suggesting his leadership would help steer Boston to Banner 18. That prompted Boston.com's Kaley Brown to come out and say that it was "unlikely" Brad Stevens would bring Thomas back into the fold—presumably a generous understatement.
A select group of fans and reporters jumped on Thomas' comments and began mapping out his possible return. Gio Rivera of NESN gave some fascinating reasoning as to why Boston should bring the 35-year-old point guard back into the fold.
"Now picture this: Thomas, with Tatum and Brown, showered with confetti at the end of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden," said Rivera. "Coming full circle, is there a better ending to Thomas’ run in the NBA? No, there isn’t, and that vision is very much possible if Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens gives Thomas the call he’s awaited now for years."
Boston Celtics need to stay away from Isaiah Thomas
During his two-and-a-half years in Boston, Thomas was a revelation. Between his play, the constant smile, his size, and the tragic passing of his sister, people gravitated to his excellence on the court and cared for him immensely off it.
Those seasons were special and should be looked at fondly. The problem is that it was seven years ago.
Seven is also the number of teams Thomas has been on since the last time he donned the green and white jersey. Patrick Mahomes just won his third Lombardi Trophy—he hadn't even taken a snap in the NFL yet. The worldwide pandemic that shut down the entire globe was still years away.
The budding superstar who could stuff the stat sheet doesn't exist anymore and hasn't in some time. His scoring efficiency has fallen off a cliff since his hip surgery, and he doesn't move the same on the floor. His defense was always a liability, and it only got worse with age.
I do not deny that Thomas' presence and radiant personality wouldn't be good for the Celtics locker room—as an advisor or an assistant coach. At this point, he has no positive value as a player. A fairytale return followed by hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy would make for a heartwarming Lifetime movie, but it makes no sense in reality.