NBA veteran Isaiah Thomas might return to the large stage for the primary time in two years.
The 35-year-old is planning to signal a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Saturday.
Thomas made his most up-to-date NBA look for the Charlotte Hornets in April 2022. He performed 17 video games for the Hornets, averaging 8.3 factors in 12.9 minutes per sport. His time in Charlotte marked the tip of a string of twenty-two video games that noticed him additionally play for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks. All three of these stints started with separate 10-day contracts.
The newest deal comes after the previous Boston Celtics All-Star signed with the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars, G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, earlier this month. He averaged 32.5 factors in 4 video games, including 5.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
He delivered his most up-to-date 30-point efficiency hours earlier than the information dropped, scoring 34 factors Saturday in a win for Stars.
Thomas’ NBA profession, which started with the Sacramento Kings in 2011, reached a hurdle when he sustained a hip harm whereas enjoying for the Celtics in 2017. He opted to maintain enjoying by means of the ache in his hip and the lack of his youthful sister through the playoffs, aiding the crew’s run to the Japanese Convention Finals that postseason.
These playoffs noticed Thomas rating 33 factors within the East semifinals regardless of dropping his tooth to then-Washington Wizard Otto Porter Jr.s’ elbow. The dental emergency did not instantly hamper Thomas, as he scored 53 factors towards the Wizards within the subsequent sport. He was ultimately dominated out for the remainder of the postseason, then despatched to the Cavaliers within the Kyrie Irving commerce.
He misplaced his trademark pace after the hip harm and made stops with the Wizards, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans. He was unsigned when the 2021-22 season began, therefore his collection of 10-day contracts.
After scoring 34 factors in a win for the Stars on Tuesday, he opened up about his drive to maintain striving for an NBA comeback.
“I simply love this s*** an excessive amount of,” Thomas instructed The Athletic. “I had a number of robust years the place generally you simply really feel like quitting as a result of it’s an excessive amount of. However I all the time say that’s the simple factor to do. So I simply stayed at it, continued to belief the method, continued to benefit from the journey. Whether or not it was ups or downs, I’m again enjoying basketball. I’m again wholesome. It’s only a tremendous cool feeling as a result of I by no means thought I’d have the ability to play with no ache no extra.”