Isaiah Thomas found himself without a team but the two-time All-Star guard is far from giving up. He is confident that he will eventually return to the league at some point in the future. He singled out his progress this season before a trade from the Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Clippers ruined his run.
It does not help as well that the NBA regular season is on suspension. Several teams could have put Thomas to good use, particularly the ones who were looking for a playmaker. Ironically, the Clippers opted to go for Reggie Jackson instead of giving Thomas a chance. But the reason behind that is due to questions on the 5-foot-9 guard's ability to defend bigger players.
With no team willing (for now) to give I.T. a chance, suggestions were made for him to try the international scene. However, the 60th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft would hear nothing of it. He believes that he will still land a stint in the NBA although his chances may not be that great.
“Why wouldn’t I get another (NBA) shot though?” Thomas said. “I started 40 games this season (and) got thrown in a trade to make it work to a team that didn’t want me. Nothing more, nothing less. All you need is ONE team to want you. I’ll get back to it real soon,” Thomas said via his Twitter account.
But of course, there are factors to consider moving forward. One is that Thomas has to contend with upcoming and younger free agent guards. There are also the incoming freshmen from the 2020 NBA Draft, something that should further make it hard for Thomas to land a spot.
As far as considering a stint overseas, Thomas may want to reconsider. There are former players like Stephon Marbury who were able to succeed outside the NBA. He ended his basketball career on a high note and remains one of the top players to ever play in China.
Thomas' height will be a problem. In this age where height is a must, his 5-foot-9 frame may not be able to cut it against bigger foreign players. In all, the problems Thomas is facing now is no different if he plays international ball.
Insisting that he is not done is commendable but at some point, Thomas may want to lower his expectations. If no team gives him a chance by next NBA season, it may be time for the All-Star guard to expand his options and expectations.
