Isaiah Thomas sends heartwarming message regarding how Boston Celtics fans have treated him since G-League return

Isaiah Thomas has noticed the love received by Boston Celtics fans since returning to the G-League in March as a member of the Salt Lake City Stars -- crediting the fanbase for giving him "real love" in his journey back to the NBA.

“It’s real love -- you know, that Boston love is real,” Thomas told reporters, per The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn (h/t NESN). “No matter what happened in the past, all those guys communicate with me still. I’m always locked in on Celtics games. That was big part of my life. That was a really important, important time in my life as well. So it’s always going to be love for everybody that’s in that organization and was a helping hand to me and my family.”

Of course, Thomas wouldn't have that shot if not for the man who initially traded him in the first place: Danny Ainge. The Stars are the G-League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, the franchise Ainge serves as President of Basketball Operations.

Thomas credited Ainge for his return.

“We chopped it up a few times,” Thomas prefaced before saying, "Danny helped make this day happen. He connected the dots.”

Boston Celtics fans' admiration cannot be mistaken for desire for a return

Every Celtics fan should want to see Thomas thrive at the end of the 2023-24 season; perhaps even landing a guaranteed contract with the Jazz or another rebuilding NBA franchise that can give him a legitimate chance to land a multi-year deal for his own financial security's sake.

That does not mean that they should want to see IT complete his comeback with Boston's final roster spot. The team as is has been firing on all cylinders, and the pecking order is clear.

As the Houdini has repeatedly stated, an early playoff exit can change this opinion. But right now, it's ironclad.