The Cavaliers are in a holding pattern of sorts over the next week, as the team waits to add All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas to their starting lineup in the near future.
When that will be remains a mystery, with the best speculation pointing to either the Jan. 2 game against Portland or their Jan. 3 contest in Boston — where Thomas can get some revenge. Cleveland’s trip to Utah on Saturday hasn’t been ruled out, but that seems unlikely given that it’s a random road game and they could buy three extra days of rest and prep by holding him out.
Whether the target is Saturday or Tuesday, Thomas will take the final major step towards his return on Friday after the team’s trip to wine country in Napa Valley. Coach Tyronn Lue told reporters on Wednesday the plan was for the Cavs to hold a rare practice during a road trip in order to give him a chance to do a full scrimmage with his teammates.
Via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
“It’ll be a practice, get some shots up, cover defensive rules and principles and also scrimmage a little bit so Isaiah can get a feel and play 5-on-5,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said.
Thomas recently scrimmaged with the Cavs’ G-League team, the Canton Charge, to work his way into some 5-on-5 action while also keeping the Cavs from having to practice in the middle of the season, but now it’s time for Thomas to get some work with his new teammates. Getting Thomas a chance to play with his teammates is big, but Lue also is probably glad to have an excuse to get the team together for a practice in the midst of a skid where they’ve dropped three of their last four games including to the lowly Kings on Wednesday.
If all goes well with Thomas’ scrimmage with the team, it would seem very likely that we see him active and in the lineup when the Cavs begin 2018, which would be a welcome sight to all NBA fans.
