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Lakers Rumors: Isaiah Thomas Being Considered for 'Potential' Contract Signing
August 11, 2021
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly "weighed the potential signing" of free-agent guard Isaiah Thomas, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.
The 32-year-old appeared in just three games in 2020-21 after signing a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 7.7 points per game.
Thomas also recently scored 81 points in the Crawsover Pro-Am in Seattle:
SportsCenter @SportsCenter.<a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isaiahthomas</a> dropped 81 POINTS in a Pro-Am game 😳 <br><br>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ballislife</a>) <a href="https://t.co/1yYyNVJ6IV">pic.twitter.com/1yYyNVJ6IV</a>
If he lands a deal with the Lakers, it would be his second stint with the team after appearing in 17 games during the 2017-18 season.
Thomas is best known for his time with the Boston Celtics from 2015 to 2017, during which he earned two All-Star selections. He finished third in the NBA in scoring in 2016-17 with an average of 28.9 points per game.
The 5'9" guard had his career derailed by a hip injury, however, and saw his production decline over the past few years. His last significant action came in 2019-20 with the Washington Wizards, with whom he averaged 12.2 points and 3.7 assists in 40 games (37 starts).
Hip surgery in 2020 provided a chance to reestablish himself on the court.
"It's like night and day for me," Thomas told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski in October 2020. "There's no more pain. I've got my full range of motion. For three years, I was trying to play the best players in the world on one leg. I needed help from my kids to put my socks on in the morning."
It still didn't lead to many options in the NBA, and he is once again looking for a chance to prove himself.
Los Angeles could be an ideal fit as it seeks low-cost players to fill the roster.
Thomas' outside shooting could provide balance offensively after he hit 41.3 percent of his three-point attempts during his last full season in Washington. This would help spread the floor alongside stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
Age also shouldn't be an issue after the team signed older veterans Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza this offseason.