BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 3: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics talks with Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the Celtics defeat the Cavaliers 102-88 at TD Garden on January 3, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Imagine a world where Isaiah Thomas returns to Boston and plays for the Celtics.
Former Celtic, Kendrick Perkins wants to see it.
“I would love to see IT back in Boston,” Perkins told me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
Kendrick Perkins on @isaiahthomas‘ Celtics reunion: “I would love to see IT back in Boston.” – t.co/laaZ2HlmZ3
“Knowing what’s happening with Kemba, it would be a great fit & then just think about what they have. The history of what he’s done for the Celtics org.”
“And I think knowing what’s happening with Kemba, it would be a great fit. And then, just think about what they have, right? The history of what he’s done for the Celtics organization. Yeah he didn’t win a championship but, he LITERALLY laid his body on the line for their organization and I understand that a business move happened, but if I’m Danny Ainge, I’m gonna go out there and get an IT because it’s adding more firepower to the bench.”
Currently an NBA free agent, Thomas wants to make a return to the NBA.
A two-time NBA All Star, Thomas went from being a second round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft to being beloved by Boston Celtics fans during his stint with the team from 2015-2017 before he was ultimately traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving.
Thomas has participated in offseason workouts with Irving, John Wall and Kevin Durant. “I was blowing by people,” Thomas told The Boston Globe.
“I haven’t blown by anybody since I had a Celtics uniform on. When I was able to blow by MVP-caliber players, that told me my burst and power and speed are there. I really feel like I’m back.”
Kendrick Perkins on IT: “He didn’t win a championship but, he LITERALLY laid his body on the line for their organization.” – t.co/laaZ2HlmZ3
“If I’m Danny Ainge, I’m gonna go out there and get an IT because it’s adding more firepower to the bench.”
Injuries haven’t been kind to Thomas, 31, in the past. However, during 40 games of play for the Washington Wizards last season, he averaged 12.2 points and 3.7 assists.
While Perkins thinks the Celtics would be a good fit for Thomas, there are other teams that could utiize his services.
“Portland,” former Phoenix Suns head coach, Earl Watson informed me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
“Off the bench behind Dame and CJ. And having the ability in the Pacific Northwest and put up buckets in a short amount of minutes, which he’s capable of doing, which allows him to not only continues for him to get healthy and protect his stride of being healthy. But it also gives Portland a scoring punch that I think they desperately need. And when you think about Portland, they have two dominant scorers but they never had a third. And you cannot win in the NBA without a third dominant scorer who can get you from anywhere from 12 to 20 points any given night off the bench. And I learned that from Pop; which is the only reason why he moved [Manu] Ginobili to the bench to have a third dominant scorer at all times.”
Injuries derailed his career,” retired NBA vet and Memphis Grizzlies color commentator, Brevin Knight tells Heavy Live With Scoop B.
“If he is feeling back to 100%, then I would like to see him go out in that way. I don’t want to see him go out playing hurt and going from team to team… that’s not the player that he is. I think for him, a fit for him is a team that needs a guy that can come off the bench that is not position specific.”
The 2020-21 NBA season begins on December 22.