Isaiah Thomas went from Boston Celtics mainstay to vagabond point guard searching for a home with a quickness this season. Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers over the summer, but only lasted 15 games after recovering from his hip injury before he was moved to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline.
Thomas isn’t in the long-term plans for the Lakers, which means the remainder of the season is essentially a tryout for the next team he will play for. It’s a far cry from his “Brinks truck” comments (and sandals) over the summer, when he balked at the concept of a deal that carried less than max money.
The point guard isn’t starting over Lonzo Ball in Los Angeles, but he’s playing well of late. Thomas had 29 points, six assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench for the Lakers in their 133-113 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday. Thomas talked to ESPN about his future and said he’s not too concerned about his upcoming free agency.
“All you need is one team to love you,” Thomas said. “It’s like the draft all over again. You just need one team. So that is all I am doing and working toward. Until then, I am focused on doing whatever I can to make this the best team possible.”
It’s been a rough season for Thomas in a number of ways, with the injury forcing him to miss half the year and some noticable defensive struggles once he took the court in Cleveland. But Thomas thinks his career “speaks for itself.”
“My résumé speaks for itself. What I can do on the basketball floor speaks for itself. I can’t do nothing but control what I can control, and that is taking advantage of any opportunity that I am given and playing my heart out. But come July, I got to weigh my options to do what is best for myself and my family.”
He also got some high praise from his former Cavaliers teammate Dwyane Wade after he posted about the game on Instagram.
Wade commented on the post and commended his play of late, comparing it to a practice the two had together when they were in Cleveland. It seems like Wade still has confidence in his former teammate, and Thomas has no shortage of confidence in himself. But just like the rest of us, he’ll still be looking for love this summer when free agency begins.
