Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Isaiah Thomas seems to have more positives to say about them than his former squad.
Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Isaiah Thomas has not even been a Laker for a full week. Although that is true, the 5’9” athlete is already enjoying his time in the City of Angels.
This is encouraging to hear due to how Thomas’ previous situation was. As a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was clear that things were not working out.
Not too long ago, the Cavs in general were not doing too hot. The lack of team chemistry and spirit became evident as time progressed, resulting in several trades. Of course, the main one out of three was IT being shipped to Los Angeles.
Granted Thomas was never at full health as a Cavalier. Also it was obvious that he never fit in during his short stint with them. Part of the blame could be tossed at their superstar, LeBron James, and how controlling James can be. Given that James is the undisputed go-to guy in The Land, Thomas never got to be his true self as a result.
During his couple plus years in Boston, Thomas was undoubtedly their number one option. As their franchise player, Thomas’ best season came in 2016-2017. He averaged a robust 28.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists a night.
As a Laker, it is fair to assert that he could experience the same vibes he felt as a Celtic.
Following Saturday’s game against Dallas, he expressed this idea in a postgame interview. Via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Thomas had this to say about his Lakers’ debut.
"“I wanted to bring something to the table,” Thomas said. “I felt like I got my powers back playing on this team.”"
Granted he does not explicitly refer to the Cavaliers, it is hard not to see this as a shot against his former ball club. By using words like “powers,” it reveals that IT may have felt powerless in Ohio at times.
It makes sense to some extent if that is the case. As perhaps the best player in the game, James expects a great deal from his teammates. Taking that into account, it is possible that Thomas and James may have shared some differences opinion wise.
In any event, what is certain is that Thomas did not like his stay in Cleveland. It could very well shed light on why he never alluded to them when talking about his resurrected powers.
Despite that, the Lakers’ newest asset is not afraid to discuss his new team. As a matter of fact, Thomas recently admitted to there being an environmental difference between L.A. and Cleveland. Per Matthew Moreno of Lakers Nation, Thomas stated the following on Monday.
"“It seems like they love being around each other,” Thomas said Monday. “They’re always joking and it’s always a positive atmosphere. When you have fun with a group of guys, it makes it easier on the court.”“Since I got here, all they do is joke around and laugh. They’re so close, and that’s a good thing. That makes it easier on the floor when you go to battle. When you hit adversity, you don’t go your separate ways. You keep going. I think in this organization, everybody is here to play for each other and have a positive mindset.”"
The fact that Thomas had such kind remarks to say about his teammates is huge. The culture of a team is important when it comes to how things turn out on the court.
During his pitstop with the media, Isaiah gave an example of this from the Dallas contest. He noted that every time he shot the ball, the Lakers’ bench took on the role of being cheerleaders. Certainly, this little example proves Thomas’ point.
What is worth pointing out, too, is when Thomas brings up “adversity.” He utilized this precise word during the Cavaliers’ struggles earlier this year. Therefore, it is not really a mere coincidence that he dropped this same term yet again. One could definitely contend this is a low blow against the Cavs.
However, the jabs did not stop there. The fourth quarter specialist also brought up discrepancies relative to the two teams’ practice styles.
Cleveland is not known to be a team that practices all the time. The Lakers, on the other hand, are built from a different cloth.
Thus far in his tenure with the purple and gold, Thomas has noticed this as well. Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report transcribed Thomas’ thoughts in this neck of the woods (courtesy of ClutchPoints’ Ryan Ward).
"“I mean, this is the first real practice I had all year,” he said, according to Ward. “Let’s see how my hip responds tomorrow with the soreness and things like that, but I’m here. I’m here and I’m happy. Got my joy back and I’m ready to put on a show for the Lakers.”"
This is quite a bold statement on IT’s part. It signifies, though, that he prefers L.A.’s tendencies. Due to his hip injury, practicing consistently will put him in a better position to fully recover. He did not have that luxury donning the wine and gold.
That being said, it is pretty clear that Thomas did not enjoy Cleveland’s day-to-day patterns. Based on his description, they did not make it easy for him to thrive and perform to his potential.
Next: Reasons IT can help Lakers make playoffs
Contrarily, Thomas appears to be much happier as a Laker. What is interesting is that the young man actually grew up following the storied franchise.
Lakers.com writer Joey Ramirez gave confirmation of that in a recent piece he compiled.
"“I’m a lifelong Laker fan,” Thomas said. “My family’s from Inglewood, California, so I was brainwashed into being a Lakers fan as a young boy.”"
The Lakers can only hope that this love affair for them can lead to results on the court. Albeit the team lost in IT’s Laker debut, there are plenty more opportunities on the horizon.