Some players are unable to give up on their NBA comeback hopes even if age isn’t on their side.
A former Los Angeles Lakers guard and two-time All-Star falls into that category, as he isn’t ready to call it quits at age 36.
“I want to be able to put on a jersey and mentally end it on my own,” Isaiah Thomas told the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn last Saturday.
“I feel that good, and I know I’m able to produce for a team, whether it’s on the floor or whether it’s a veteran presence in the locker room. Ultimately, my No. 1 goal is to get back in. I’m staying ready but also figuring out things that are happening throughout my life that are positive as well.”
Thomas, who's been vocal about a possible return to the NBA on multiple occasions, hasn’t competed in an NBA contest since April 2020 (Phoenix Suns). The Washington product was once a must-see Boston Celtics star perceived as the franchise’s cornerstone player.
However, injury concerns and height (5-foot-9) made retaining Thomas beyond the 2016-17 campaign impossible, resulting in a blockbuster offseason trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thomas didn’t last a full season alongside LeBron James in Cleveland, as the franchise traded him to the Lakers midway through the year.
While inefficient, the former second-round pick contributed 15.6 points and 5.0 assists per game in 17 outings with Los Angeles.
Thomas enjoyed stints with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans after the 2017-18 season, before returning to the Lakers in 2021 for a second stint.
This time, the Tacoma, Washington product only averaged 9.3 points and 1.5 assists in four outings. Thomas has only appeared in 46 contests since then.
Still, with Thomas being determined to play another season in the big leagues and multiple franchises needing a veteran presence off the bench, the former standout point guard could soon change his NBA status.
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