After a number of marquee free agent signings including Rajon Rondo, plus the potential sophomore surges of Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, Isaiah Thomas has decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers news has been frequent in recent weeks. With NBA Free Agency in full swing, there was a lot of movement The latest Lakers player on the move is Isaiah Thomas.
In what will be his fourth team in a year’s time, and the sixth team in his seven-year career, Isaiah Thomas is making the move from the Lakers to the Denver Nuggets.
The point guard suited up in just 17 games for the Lakers in a season that also saw him split time playing as a Cleveland Cavalier before being shipped off at the trade deadline. He only played 15 games for the Cavs.
Thomas has been nursing a hip injury stemming back to his 2017 playoff run with the Boston Celtics. That year, he averaged 28.9 points per game and was top-5 in MVP voting, achieving All-NBA Second Team honors. He was en route to a $100 million-plus contract had he stayed healthy.
He signed with the Nuggets on a one-year veterans minimum deal worth $2 million.
Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, league sources tell ESPN. Thomas will reunite with Michael Malone, who coached him with the Kings.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 13, 2018
Los Angeles seems to have accepted Thomas’s departure before it was announced, signing Rajon Rondo to a one-year, $ 9 million deal earlier this offseason. Plus, with Lonzo Ball set to return from a knee injury, and the surging play of Josh Hart, Thomas would be hard-pressed to find minutes in their deep backcourt.
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For Denver’s part, they receive a tested, reliable player who is playoff experienced and leadership tested. All on a veteran’s minimum deal. Thomas could exceed expectations completely and revert back to his days in Boston, or meet expectations and produce some value off the bench.
Thomas reunites with his former coach on the Sacramento Kings Michael Malone and will be utilized as the spark off the Nuggets’ bench, backing up young stud Jamal Murray. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, Denver will look to make a strong push early in the power rankings.
Make no mistake about it, this is a bet-on-yourself deal. Thomas wants to re-establish himself in a league that has all but discredited his success in Boston. This is a guy whose sister died and laced up his shoes to play in a playoff game a day later.
Grit. Toughness. Composure. This is an all-reward, low-risk situation for Denver. The Lakers, on the other hand, are clearly going a different route.
Next: Grading The Lakers Free Agency Thus Far and Potential Moves
This Lakers team is building something around LeBron James that nobody has ever seen. The signings indicate a LeBron team, unlike any other, and Thomas simply did not fit into that scheme.