These last few years have been tough for Charlotte Hornets guard Isaiah Thomas. He’s been on nothing but 10-day contracts recently, and after consecutive 10-day deals in Charlotte, the Hornets have decided to keep Thomas on for the remainder of the year.
This presents a tremendous opportunity for the former two-time all-star and All-NBA selection. A good consistent run could go a long way in helping Thomas secure a roster spot next season, whether it’s in Charlotte or elsewhere. In seven games with the Hornets, Thomas has averaged about 10 ppg while shooting 46 percent overall and 48 percent from three-point distance.
Thomas might even get the chance to showcase his skills on a big stage if the Hornets make the postseason. Charlotte is just about guaranteed at least one play-in game at this point, sitting in ninth place in the eastern conference, 1.5 games ahead of Atlanta. Thomas has scored in double figures in four of his last six games for the Hornets. On Monday, he posted 15 points in 14 minutes off the bench in a 106-103 win over the Pelicans. Charlotte is 5-1 in the last six games that Thomas has played.
Maybe Thomas can become the new “microwave,” borrowing the name from former Detroit Pistons guard Vinnie Johnson. A few more double-digit scoring outputs in limited minutes, and that could be the case. Thomas had another game earlier his year with the Lakers where he posted 19-points, and it felt like he was back. That stint didn’t last past the 10-day contract, but they probably should’ve kept Thomas around looking at how the Lakers season has gone. Aside from LeBron James, there isn’t much to get excited about with these Lakers.
We all love a good redemption story, so I hope Isaiah can find a place to stick around on at least a one-year deal, not just the 10-day variety. Thomas’s career has been sidetracked ever since he suffered that hip injury with the Celtics. Since he was traded from Boston in 2018, Thomas has bounced around playing with seven teams (two stints with the Lakers) since returning from the injury. So, it would be great to see him stick this time. He’s showing that he’s still an effective scorer, and playing with a young, exciting point guard like LaMelo Ball might just be best for him.
Isaiah turned 33 last month, so if it doesn’t pan out this time, I’m not sure how many more opportunities he’ll get in the NBA. Thomas made headlines on the Pro-Am circuit last summer when he scored 81-points in a game. If he can’t spark any further interest after the next month’s worth of games, he could be relegated to Pro-Am hoops to finish his basketball career.
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