Brad Stevens Discusses Possibility of Celtics Bringing Back Isaiah Thomas

In five games this season, four with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Dallas Mavericks, Isaiah Thomas averaged 8.6 points and two assists in 22.8 minutes of playing time.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

In Brad Stevens' weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich program, the possibility of a reunion between the Boston Celtics and Isaiah Thomas was brought up.

The always thoughtful Stevens responded with the following.

"I'm a huge Isaiah fan, always have been. Obviously, the 10-day stuff, he had a couple of those ten days. We actually had a few in between his that we ended up signing. I think we signed all five while he was with the (Los Angeles) Lakers. I've talked to -- I'm a huge fan of his and obviously following from afar. Our roster situation right now is complicated enough that we’ve got to get through next month to see where it lands and what it looks like. We'll make other decisions, whether we have spots or adds or whatever the case may be. Isaiah is everything everyone has made him out to be.”

In five games this season, four with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Dallas Mavericks, Thomas averaged 8.6 points and two assists in 22.8 minutes of playing time. He's yet to recapture his rhythm from beyond the arc, making 1 of five three-point attempts per game, but the former Celtics star is moving well and has the fluidity to create from the mid-range. Largely thanks to that, Thomas is shooting 45.5 percent from the field this season.

His next opportunity could come from another franchise as the Celtics focus on the trade market between now and the Feb. 10 deadline and making internal improvements to a team that climbed back to .500 with a win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, Boston's third-straight victory. Those are the right priorities, but even if the Celtics are interested in bringing Thomas back, it means that possibility may not exist after the trade deadline.

As a follow-up to the possibility of bringing Thomas back, Stevens got asked whether the Celtics need someone who bled green and plays with the heart and effort level Thomas exudes.

"I think every team benefits from that. Obviously, again, there's a lot of factors with regard to the roster and specifically each team and each team's situation, contractually and flexibility-wise, etcetera that go into all of these decisions. But every team benefits from that kind of energy, that kind of leadership, and people that can play multiple roles and those types of things."

Further Reading

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pacers: Tatum and Brown Take Over

Report: Celtics Express Interest in Jeff Green and Jalen Smith; Evaluating Both Options

Should Jaylen Brown be the Celtics' Closer?

Trade Options for a Celtics Team in Need of Shooters

Celtics' Trade Options Part II: Facilitators

In More Ways Than One, the Celtics are in Need of a Shakeup