« I’ve opened my arms to try to come back in so many ways… “While he is already struggling to secure his place in the big league, Isaiah Thomas regrets not having had a new opportunity with the Celtics. The team with which the double All-Star had reached its firmament by turning to 29 points on average in 2017.
« And it ain’t even tryin’ to pick up where I left off, I’m past that moment “Promises the leader, now wearing the jersey of the Hornets where the Celtics are moving next night.
The 33-year-old assures that it’s no longer about being that crazy scorer, the number one option in a team’s attack. But rather to be a positive presence in a locker room, even if it means playing less. Have an impact on those younger than him, on the staff… “ It’s more important than playing 40 minutes a game and starting. »
Ready to step back
Leprechaun, who has known seven different franchises since his transfer from Massachusetts, seeks to convey this message to other franchises to break certain misconceptions about him.
« It sucks because it’s just outside noise. Nobody ever asked me what I thought about arriving in a team and not playing. Nobody asked me that, directly. Whether I play or not, I can have a positive impact in any franchise, every day. This is who I am. That’s what I’ve always been. »
But obviously, his good intentions were not enough to convince the leaders of the Celtics, while a contact between the two parties had surfaced last summer.
« I felt there were times when Brad (Stevens) could make a call and give me an opportunity, and that didn’t happen, so it’s very frustrating because of the relationship that we have, of the friendship we have had over the years “, Regrets “IT”, citing his former coach, who became president of the franchise.
During the summer of 2017, the leader recalled how painful transferring the player to Cleveland to recover Kyrie Irving had been: “ What Thomas did for two and a half years in Boston is incredible. I said earlier what he meant to me, and what I thought of him, and how great he was in a locker room, and what a teammate he was. These are really, really, really tough decisions to make. »
Today, Isaiah Thomas finds ” unfair of being the victim of a form of external pressure ”, also coming from the fans with whom he remains popular. ” I can’t control it. They want to see me play, but I’m not going to cheer them on and say, ‘Since they’re asking me, I should play. I was never that person. I’m not saying that was an excuse for Danny (Ainge) or Brad. »
His disappointment is at the height of the love he has for the city of Boston and its inhabitants. ” The people who have shown me the most love are obviously from Boston. It’s frustrating, but like I said, I’ve done my part to make a comeback and this reunion, it’s not even about playing. I just thought, with our closeness, there would be an opportunity, but there isn’t. »
| Isaiah Thomas | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Tirs | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Until | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | SAC | 65 | 26 | 44.8 | 37.9 | 83.2 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 11.5 |
| 2012-13 | SAC | 79 | 27 | 44.0 | 35.8 | 88.2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 13.9 |
| 2013-14 | SAC | 72 | 35 | 45.3 | 34.9 | 85.0 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 6.3 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 20.4 |
| 2014-15 * | All Teams | 67 | 26 | 42.0 | 37.3 | 86.8 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 16.4 |
| 2014-15 * | PHX | 46 | 26 | 42.6 | 39.1 | 87.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 15.2 |
| 2014-15 * | BUNCH | 21 | 26 | 41.1 | 34.5 | 86.1 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 19.1 |
| 2015-16 | BUNCH | 82 | 32 | 42.8 | 35.9 | 87.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 22.2 |
| 2016-17 | BUNCH | 76 | 34 | 46.3 | 37.9 | 90.9 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 5.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 28.9 |
| 2017-18 * | All Teams | 32 | 27 | 37.3 | 29.3 | 89.3 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 15.2 |
| 2017-18 * | LAL | 17 | 27 | 38.3 | 32.7 | 92.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 15.6 |
| 2017-18 * | CLE | 15 | 27 | 36.1 | 25.3 | 86.8 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 14.7 |
| 2018-19 | THE | 12 | 15 | 34.3 | 27.9 | 63.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 8.1 |
| 2019-20 | WAS | 40 | 23 | 40.8 | 41.3 | 81.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 12.2 |
| 2020-21 | NOP | 3 | 16 | 33.3 | 25.0 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 7.7 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 6 | 21 | 32.8 | 21.9 | 72.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 8.8 |
| 2021-22 * | LAL | 4 | 25 | 30.8 | 22.7 | 72.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 9.3 |
| 2021-22 * | FROM THE | 1 | 13 | 37.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| 2021-22 * | NO | 1 | 14 | 36.4 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 |
| Total | 534 | 29 | 43.4 | 36.1 | 87.2 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 18.0 | |
