As first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Dallas Mavericks are signing free agent guard Isaiah Thomas to a contract.
Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas plans to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Thomas is expected to join team in Sacramento tonight.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2021
The news was confirmed by Marc Stein, who said Thomas was en route to Sacramento to join the Mavs on the bench for their game against the Kings on Wednesday night.
Isaiah Thomas is en route to Sacramento and will be in uniform for Dallas tonight and coming off the Mavericks bench, league sources say.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/A6ycVm5PUQ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 29, 2021
Thomas, 32, recently saw out a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, filling in while the team dealt with several players in the league’s COVID-19 protocols. He appeared in four games for the Lakers, averaging 9.3 points and 1.5 assists a night. Before signing with Los Angeles, he played one game with the Grand Rapids Drive in the G League.
Currently, the Mavericks have several players — including Luka Doncic, Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Maxi Kleber — in the league’s health and safety protocols and could use another ball handler on the team to help them get through this spell. If Thomas sticks around, he also might be an interesting bet for a team that needs someone else who can provide an element of self-creation alongside Doncic. Thomas isn’t what he was back when he was with the Boston Celtics, but he’s looked healthier in recent stints than he has since being injured near the end of his Celtics tenure.
