Danny Ainge Responds to Isaiah Thomas Saying He May Never Speak to Him Again
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told reporters Wednesday he can sympathize with Isaiah Thomas' feelings of frustration regarding the blockbuster trade that shipped him from the reigning Atlantic Division champions to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After Thomas told Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins he "might not ever talk to Danny again," Ainge said he understood because he was traded twice himself as a player.
ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg relayed Ainge's complete comments:
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In the interview published Wednesday, Thomas disclosed that while he doesn't resent the Celtics franchise, he isn't sure if he'll be able to forgive Ainge for the way things unfolded.
"Boston is going to be all love," Thomas said. "I might not ever talk to Danny again. That might not happen. I'll talk to everybody else. But what he did, knowing everything I went through, you don't do that, bro. That's not right. I'm not saying eff you. But every team in this situation comes out a year or two later and says, 'We made a mistake.' That’s what they'll say, too."
Thomas, who averaged a career-high 28.9 points per game last season, put everything on the line for the Celtics during the 2017 postseason when he played through physical and emotional pain.
Not only did Thomas play through a hip injury that's now expected to delay his Wine and Gold debut until January, according to The Athletic's Jason Lloyd, but he suited up for the Celtics' postseason opener against the Chicago Bulls one day after the death of his sister, Chyna.
Speaking to Jenkins, Thomas admitted he shouldn't have risked his health come playoff time.
"No doubt about it, I should have sat out the playoffs," he said. "No way around it, I made it worse."
Thomas won't get a chance to show Ainge he made a mistake Tuesday when the Cavaliers open their season against the Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena, but he's sure to be motivated as ever when he returns to the floor midway through his first year in Northeast Ohio.
