Report: Isaiah Thomas felt 'very disrespected' by the Kings

Isaiah Thomas signed a four-year, $27.5 million deal with the Phoenix Suns this offseason, in part because he felt unwanted by his old team. Thomas said he felt "very disrespected" by the Sacramento Kings in free agency.

Isaiah Thomassigned a four-year, $27.5 million deal with the Phoenix Suns this offseason, in part because he felt unwanted by his old team. Thomas said he felt "very disrespected" by the Sacramento Kings in free agency in an interview with The Arizona Republic. 

Thomas, the last pick in the 2011 draft, started 153 games for the Kings the last three seasons. Last year, he averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game while shooting a career-best 45.3 percent from the floor. Thomas, Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins were the only trio of teammates to each average 20 points per game last year. 

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Yet the Kings signed free agent guard Darren Collison early in free agency, presumably to take over Thomas's role. The newly-signed Suns guard explained his frustrations in an interview with Bob Young of The Arizona Republic: 

"I felt very disrespected. Every year it was somebody new. I felt I did a good enough job to show them I was a starting point guard or a guy who could play a big role with their team. But they thought differently."

Thomas previously said that though he thought of himself as a starter, he is willing to accept any role in order to play on a winning team. Phoenix already has All-NBA third team point guard Goran Dragic on the roster, plus matching rights to restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe, who the team is expected to keep.

- Alex Hampl