Boston Celtics Would Be Ideal Landing Spot for Isaiah Thomas Trade
The Boston Celtics need a player like spark plug scoring guard Isaiah Thomas, whether they're planning for the present or building for the future.
And they might not have to settle for a player like Thomas, as the real thing could be well within their reach.
The Phoenix Suns, Thomas' current employer, are facing a unique quandary. While some NBA teams are struggling to find a capable point guard, Phoenix is discovering it may have too many floor generals and not enough touches to go around.
Thomas, Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe were supposed to be a three-headed beast that terrorized opposing defenses. But the scariest thing about this monster has been the statistical damage it's done to itself.
All three players are scoring less and shooting worse than they did last season. Their minutes are down and so is their offensive involvement.
Suns general manager Ryan McDonough admitted the team's "roster balance is a little off," per ArizonaSports.com's Adam Green. Correcting that balance means thinning the point guard ranks, though it remains unclear where the cut will be made.
If the Suns had their way, they'd trade Thomas and work on convincing Dragic to stick around in free agency this summer, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
However, Dragic's camp has reportedly informed the franchise he has no interest in re-signing with Phoenix, per USA Today's Sam Amick, and the point guard even has a list of preferred destinations already, via Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Celtics have surfaced as a "dark-horse contender for Dragic," sources told Stein. Dragic is a better player than Thomas, but the latter is younger and comes with more certainty surrounding his future. Once Dragic cashes in on the free-agent market, he'll likely be far more expensive than the cost-effective Thomas.
Phoenix is in a tight spot with Dragic, but his trade request doesn't necessarily force the organization's hand.
If the Suns keep Dragic, they'd be able to offer a longer, richer contract than any of his suitors this summer. That knowledge could push Phoenix to proceed as it originally planned, working to repair its relationship with Dragic while finding Thomas a new home:
The Celtics need to keep a close eye on this situation. If Phoenix decides to move Thomas, Boston could pick up a player it has coveted for some time.
The Celtics chased Thomas early in free agency last summer. As early as they possibly could, in fact.
"[Celtics GM] Danny Ainge was the first person to call me at 12:01 a.m.," Thomas recalled, per WEEI.com's Ben Rohrbach.
That interest hasn't waned since.
"If Suns management decides to unload Thomas, the Celtics will be among the teams to look closely at swinging a deal for the 5'9" guard," a league source told Comcast SportsNet's A. Sherrod Blakely.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweeted the Celtics are "definitely" interested in the pint-sized scorer. And why wouldn't they be? Thomas could bring a well-rounded offensive skill set different from any Boston has, along with a cap-friendly contract that features salary decreases in each of the next three seasons.
"A good shooter who draws free throws and scores efficiently, he would give the Celtics a pick-and-roll threat unlike any they currently have," wrote MassLive.com's Jay King. "Even if Boston wants him as a third guard, his contract should have good value through the 2017-18 season."
As a pick-and-roll ball-handler, Thomas has been substantially more productive than the Celtics' current guards.
The table below charts how often each player runs this play type ("Freq"), the total points per possession out of this look ("PPP"), the percentage of times a player scores at least one point ("Score Freq") and where the scoring rate ranks in the entire league ("Percentile"):
| Isaiah Thomas | 26.9 | 0.84 | 42.2 | 72.2 |
| Marcus Smart | 22.3 | 0.45 | 22.4 | 5.9 |
| Evan Turner | 33.1 | 0.67 | 33.7 | 34.2 |
| Avery Bradley | 17.1 | 0.78 | 37.9 | 59.5 |
| Marcus Thornton | 16.9 | 0.71 | 31.0 | 40.1 |
Thomas, who has a better three-point percentage than every Celtics guard other than Thornton, simply puts more pressure on a defense.
Teams can cut under screens against Turner, a 29.7 percent three-point shooter this season. They don't have to worry about Bradley (career 2.0 assists per 36 minutes) or Thornton (2.1) picking them apart with passing. Smart hasn't been a scoring threat inside the arc, making just 40 percent of his two-point field goals.
Thomas doesn't have those limitations.
He's hitting a personal-best 39.1 percent from deep this season. His career 5.8 assists per 36 minutes is almost identical to that of Portland Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard (5.9).
And despite his small stature, Thomas is fearless off the dribble, averaging more drives (6.2) than Chris Paul (5.2) and converting those shots at a higher clip (44.2 percent) than Russell Westbrook (41.5).
The Celtics, a bottom-third team in both offensive efficiency (23rd) and three-point shooting (24th), could use the jolt Thomas can provide. That's true no matter how they approach the rest of this season.
If they chase a playoff berth—they're only 1.5 games back of the No. 8 seed—he's experienced enough to assist in that endeavor. If they're looking further down the road, he's only 26 and under contract for three more seasons.
He wouldn't impede the development of Smart and Bradley, as Thomas could slide into a sixth-man role behind them. Or if the 20-year-old Smart needs more seasoning, Thomas could take over the starting spot until Smart is ready to handle it.
On paper, the three guards look like effective complements for one another.
"Both current Boston guards have no problem checking opponents at either the 1 or the 2," wrote Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes. "Thomas could hide on the easier matchup while also providing the offensive punch and penetration neither Smart nor Bradley can."
This makes too much sense on Boston's end not to pull this off—provided Phoenix is willing to role the dice on retaining Dragic.
The Celtics have the assets needed to start the conversation. RealGM indicates they are overflowing with incoming draft picks, including an unprotected 2015 first-rounder from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Boston could dangle that, then bolster its package with win-now veterans like Thornton or Brandon Bass, guys capable of filling an impact role for a Phoenix team still clinging to the West's No. 8 seed.
Familiarity can be key in orchestrating a deal, and there's plenty of it between the Suns and Celtics. McDonough is a former assistant of Ainge, and the executives already came together for the January trade that sent Brandan Wright to the desert.
That was a mutually beneficial exchange—the Celtics added to their pile of future picks—and this would be one, too. Boston needs Thomas' scoring. Phoenix needs some breathing room in the backcourt and help in other areas.
Whether they'd be loading up for today's playoff run or preparing for tomorrow's, the Celtics need Thomas to help them take the next step.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Contract information courtesy of HoopsHype.
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