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Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel said two-time NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas' stay with them is limited and they expect him to be out of the rotation once they get healthy. Such a setup sent fans reacting hilariously on social media.
The 35-year-old Thomas was signed by the Suns to a 10-day contract to provide some help on offense in their backcourt as they up their postseason push with the regular season winding down.
The former Washington Huskie has not played in the NBA since 2022 and is coming off a brief stint in the NBA G League, playing four games with the Salt Lake City Stars and averaging 32.5 points per game.
Speaking to the media ahead of their game on Wednesday, Vogel said Isaiah Thomas' presence in the team is more for depth as they continue to grapple with injuries. But he said that once everybody is back in harness, 'IT' will slide down in the rotation.
The Phoenix Suns coach's comments garnered mixed reactions, including some hilarious takes from fans. Below is what some of them wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
@buussdownkev wrote: He just the mascot
@barackojamba wrote: Bros on an internship
@StevenAdams04 wrote: Are we shocked
@NathanCoppock wrote: I'm shocked (I'm not)
@DamianBankss wrote: mario chalmers all over again
@shakdartt31 wrote: Lmao talk about a bench warmer
@hdnjem wrote: he hasn't even played
@_LeBrow23_3 wrote: Professional bench keeper
Isaiah Thomas out to show that he can still produce on the court
Prior to being signed by the Phoenix Suns to a 10-day contract, Isaiah Thomas played in the NBA G League with the Salt Lake City Stars. While it was far from his days as an NBA All-Star, the explosive guard said it was a chance for him to show that he can still perform on the court given the break.
'IT' shared this in a recent edition of Run It Back on FanDuel TV, when asked what drove him to accept to play in the G League, saying:
"Ultimately I'm just fighting for an opportunity. I'm just trying to show teams that I'm still able to produce on the court."
He added:
"But most importantly, I'm able to teach these young guys -- show them each and every day how to be a professional."
And perform was what Isaiah Thomas did while with the Stars in the G League. He averaged 32.5 points in four games.
It was enough to move the Suns in the NBA to sign him to a short-term contract to help augment their offense in the backcourt with some key personnel out.
The return marks the first time Thomas is playing in the NBA since 2022. It is also his second tour of duty with the Suns after seeing action in 46 games with the team during the 2014–15 season, where he averaged 15.2 points.
Isaiah Thomas was the 60th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He has a career scoring average of 17.7 points in 550 games, with stops in Sacramento, Phoenix, Boston, Cleveland, LA Lakers, Denver, Washington, New Orleans, Dallas and Charlotte.
Through the course of his NBA journey, he became a two-time All-Star (2016 and 2017) as a member of the Celtics.
Guess the Lakers players!
