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Why the Pacers should keep Isaiah Thomas on their free agent list

By Jordan Brandenburg

PORTLAND, OR - MAY 3: Isaiah Thomas #0 of the Denver Nuggets stretches before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2019 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - MAY 3: Isaiah Thomas #0 of the Denver Nuggets stretches before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2019 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Is there a case for the Indiana Pacers taking a flyer on Isaiah Thomas, who averaged 25 points per game against them two seasons ago?

The Denver Nuggets are amid a playoff run and the two-time NBA All-Star, Isaiah Thomas hasn’t even sniffed the court.

This time two years ago, the thirty-year-old point guard was coming off a 53 point outing in a 129-119 win over the Wizards to give Boston a 2-0 series lead. The Celtics would go on to beat Washington in six games, but not before their leading scorer aggravated a hip injury that eventually ruled him out for the rest of the playoffs.

The emerging star required surgery to repair the damage; however, the ailment would continue to afflict him.

Two seasons after finishing fifth in MVP voting, Thomas has only played in 44 games since, totaling 1,043 minutes on the court. He was on the floor for 2,569 minutes during his All-NBA season alone.

He hasn’t checked in during a playoff game since the Eastern Conference finals that postseason either. Instead, he has been involved in two trades that subsequent season and has spent the majority of both seasons rehabbing his hip.

A few years ago, Isaiah Thomas would have been a marquee free agent among the market. There had been rumblings of a large extension in prior to the 2017 playoffs. He never got his payday, a nagging injury persisted and led to a deterioration of his game and his hip.

His spells in Cleveland and Los Angeles were plagued by soreness in that hip, causing him to only see limited action throughout the season. Therefore, the veteran guard could only secure a minimum contract when he signed with the Nuggets last July.

Coming off an underwhelming nine-game return, eventually being played out of the rotation by Denver’s younger guards, there’s no guarantee Thomas even signs with a team this summer.

Could a player who was third overall in scoring just two seasons ago still be a positive contributor for a contending team? The small sample size from February and March wasn’t promising, but expecting a veteran guard that relies on athleticism to be in rhythm after months on the disabled list isn’t realistic either.

That being said, let’s look at what his 181 minutes on the court this spring showed us.

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