NBA Free Agency 2020: The case for and against a franchise signing Isaiah Thomas this offseason

After successful hip resurfacing surgery in May, Isaiah Thomas sounds ready to hit the hardwood again as per latest NBA free agency rumors. Thomas played 40 games for the Washington Wizards last season, before being traded to, and eventually waived by the LA Clippers. A fan favourite in Boston, IT has yet to find a new home he is comfortable in, after being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 offseason.

Isaiah Thomas, 30, was a 2x NBA All-Star in 2015-16 / 2016-17 with the Boston Celtics. But, injuries have plagued him since the post-season run of 2017. Three years on, the former MVP candidate feels "no more pain", and is actively searching for his next NBA contract.

.@isaiahthomas said he feels like he’s back after hooping with KD, Kyrie and John Wall 💪 pic.twitter.com/Pbl2QtLPUE

— ESPN (@espn) November 30, 2020

NBA Free Agency: Why should an NBA franchise take a chance on Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas celebrates with Celtics Crowd After Beating the Wizards

Isaiah Thomas at his peak was a certified bucket. A three level scorer that could take over 4th quarters like few others. The 2016-17 season saw Thomas lead the Boston Celtics to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance while finishing 5th in MVP voting. And while those days are most likely behind him, Thomas has the ability to be a primary ball handler and floor spacer should a team come knocking at his door.

Have been talking to people that have watched or played with @isaiahthomas in recent months. There's a consensus: That's a different guy. He may never be the player he was in Boston but he is significantly better than the broken down player we saw the last couple of seasons.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 29, 2020

Despite batting injuries throughout the course of last season, Thomas finished the campaign averaging 12.2 PPG while shooting a steady 41.3% from three, the 13th highest in the league. He's seen a steady decline in trips to the free throw line since the injury, shooting a career low 1.9 attempts per game. This can likely be attributed to the hip issues, as Thomas completed at least 5-6 attempts per game even prior to his breakout seasons with the Celtics.

If the explosiveness is back like Isaiah Thomas has stated it is, the attempts should increase and the scoring outbreaks we were accustomed to seeing should reappear.

NBA Free Agency: What might keep teams away from signing Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas Takes on the Brooklyn Nets 2019

Even throughout his All-Star run with the Boston Celtics, Isaiah Thomas was among the league's worst rated defenders. And while his 5'9 frame may not help, the lack of explosiveness the past three seasons has made matters even worse. The league is shifting to position-less basketball, with big guards at a premium. Teams will have a hard time finding opposing offensive players for IT to hide on. His offensive skill set is useful come playoff time, but his liabilities on the defensive end may overshadow it.

The lack of interest in Isaiah Thomas may also be contributed to the strength of the point guard position in the NBA today. On top of that, nineteen point guards were selected in the 2020 NBA Draft, the most in the past 5 years. The position is the deepest it's been in years, and a lot of teams just don't have a need for a player like Thomas at the current stage. Spots will open as players go down with injuries, but it might be a while before we see IT hooping in the NBA again.

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