Isaiah Thomas Open to Celtics Return

On Monday, the Boston Celtics welcomed a familiar face. One of their former players is trying to reestablish himself after an injury-plagued season last year. The Celtics welcomed current Denver Nuggets guard Isaiah Thomas back to TD Garden. It was the first time he returned to the arena as an active player after getting traded from Boston to Cleveland before last season. Thomas’s new team beat the Celtics 114-105.

In his return to TD Garden, Thomas played six minutes. Since Nuggets head coach Mike Malone pulled Thomas from their rotation, his minutes have decreased. He finished the game with two assists. Thomas did not play much in this game, but his presence was felt.  In the first quarter, the Celtics played a video tribute of his time with them. Thomas also received a standing ovation after the video was finished. Despite being with a new team, Thomas still feels the love from the Celtics. He discussed the Celtics in a phone interview with Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

“What happened in Boston happened for a reason, and that love’s going to last forever,” Thomas said. “I was only here three years, but you’d think I was here 15 from the love that they showed me and the love that we gave each other.”

Thomas also did not rule out the possibility of returning to the Celtics. He plays for the Nuggets but will be a free agent this summer. He could return to the team where he averaged a career-best 28.9 points.

“You never know. You can’t predict the future. My options are always open for anybody. I’m a Denver Nugget now, but I’m a free agent at the end of the season, and you never know what can happen. Who knows?”

In 2015, the Celtics traded Marcus Thorton and a first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Thomas. Thomas played with the Celtics from 2015-2017. The Celtics traded Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving. The Cavaliers traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers in the same season. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to his right hip after the trade and missed the rest of the 2017-2018 season.

Thomas went from the best season of his career to a season full of setbacks within a year. His offseason deal with the Denver Nuggets kept his career alive. Since there is a mutual love between Thomas and the Celtics, Thomas could re-join the Celtics and continue his career. The door is still open.

Featured image courtesy of Getty Images

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