11 Former Celtics that are still available on the free agent market
By Tyler Watts
5. Isaiah Thomas
Celtics fans love IT. The 5’9 point guard transformed from the final pick in the 2011 draft to a star. Boston traded Tayshaun Prince, Marcus Thornton, and a first-round pick to land him at the 2015 deadline. Thomas played his best basketball in Beantown. He was a two-time All-Star and helped the Celtics to the playoffs three straight years.
Thomas was on another level in the 2016-17 season. He averaged 28.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.9 steals in 33.8 minutes per game. IT was one of the best scorers in the league as he earned second-team All-NBA honors and finished fifth in MVP voting. The point guard led a young roster to the conference finals, but his breakout opened the door for the Celtics to trade him to Cleveland in the package that netted Kyrie Irving.
Thomas has struggled with injuries since leaving Boston. He has not played more than 40 games in a season since 2017. The 5’9 guard appeared in just six games with the Suns last season and has only played in 31 over the last four years. He is searching for another NBA opportunity, but finding one won’t be easy.
Isaiah Thomas remains a fan-favorite in Boston, and everyone hopes he gets his storybook ending. His injuries make it unlikely, but the desire is certainly there.