[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Is this the beginning of the end of IT? I sort of feel for the guy. One thing is for sure . . . He can kiss that max money goodbye. 

My guess is he never plays a game for the Lakers. I think he’ll either be traded or bought out. According to doctors, he’ll make a full recovery from his hip injury. What team would be a great fit for him? We know that in the right situation, he can thrive. 

 

 

 

[holefillers1Participant]

 Until you get to the playoffs where half court offense takes over and he has to play half court defense.   

[Celtics3178Participant]

 lavar ball must be a little pissed about this trade. Said his son wouldn’t work out for Boston because of IT and now IT gets traded to his team. 

As far as IT goes I really feel bad for him. He just gets passed around left and right. I think three things have to happen for IT. First he needs surgery, second he needs to accept a Jason Terry type role and come off the bench. Third he needs to be more realistic about his contract demand. He’s gonna be 30 next year so he needs a one year deal to prove himself. Then he will be 31 going into this deal and he’s got to realize unless he can get AI type steals on D hes never going to start. 

Detroit is the perfect place for him. They got two big guys in Blake and Andre and he’s better then ish and Jackson in my opinion. 

Houston is a place I could see him. Not sure if they need him but Mike D system fits him perfefectly,

long shot back to the celts on a one year deal. He had his best seasons under Brad. He would have to accept a bench role but he could play 18 minutes and have the offense run through him when Kyrie is on the bench.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Couldn’t agree more about IT to Detroit. Perfect landing spot for him. 

[The GoatParticipant]

He said he hates moving, now he has to go twice. The Lakers are desperate if all he was to them was $6.5 mil in cap space. 

To me, best fits are Boston, Phoenix, San Antonio and Detroit. Boston get him back as a 6th man and I think they definitely win the East. 

 

[dmo21Participant]

 I don’t see him fitting with many teams in the future. He’s at his best when he can control the ball and be the alpha dog. I don’t see him wanting or accepting to come off the bench. I don’t think any upper echelon teams will sign him due to his ego (which is the reason he won’t come off the bench). So looking at rosters, I’d say maybe the Knicks would sign him. He’s a name for them, they don’t have a proven point guard and he can run the show while KP is out. Another option is Charlotte if Kemba is moved. That would be his team and he’d be surrounded but good defenders.

[XYRYXParticipant]

I have to say I don’t feel sorry for him right now. For sure I was surprised (but not shocked) when the Celtics traded him after what he gave to the franchise (played after his sister died or playing hurt in the playoffs until his hip fell apart) but he also was given the keys to the team despite his huge flaws. Brad Stevens really gave him the keys and the green light and Thomas for sure delivered and exceeded expectations by a monstrous amount. This is the part I feel sorry for him but it is also clear, that the Celtics system absolutely maximized his talents and that he gave a lot playing there. But you also have to understand that everybody else would have made the deal for Kyrie at that time if given the opportunity. And Thomas played less then 2 1/2 seasons in Boston and it’s not like he was part of a dynasty there or put the Celtics back on the mal all by himself. 

The reason why I don’t really feel sorry for him is because he made it clear several times he is expecting his brink truck somewhere (also implying it doesn’t really matter where) and mostly because he came into the Cavs locker and felt the need to question others (proven) players and their integrity. I mean he didn’t do sh!t at all there, played a total of 15 games until being traded, doesn’t play a lick d also but sees himself as someone in position to question others about their approach and willingness to fit in or their attitude towards the team, come on. 

The thing I‘m mostly interested now is how LeBron will play now with the new guys since his effort on d was nonexistent as of late (watch sbnation for his play against the Wolves where he didn’t even try but is praised if at some point he decides to block as shot and gets praised as the game winning hero while he and his mates let the Wolves go for 138 points in the game and overtime). I also would like to see how IT responds now since he clearly needs to prove something now and also needs to fit into what the Lakers want to do with him and Ball.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Bought out and signed by Boston for the minimum just as Danny Ainge planned. This would really make me angry.

[CavsFan07Participant]

I knew he was bad defensively but seeing JUST how bad he was on defense was brutal to watch. Don’t get me wrong, the Cavs D in general sucks and having no rim protection obviously doesn’t help. But he ranks right up there as one of the worst defenders I’ve ever seen in the NBA.

Props to Brad Stevens (who I believe is a HELL of a coach) for having such a great system that somewhat hid his obvious defensive deficiencies. 

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 IT is taking a whipping right now and some of it is justified but I have to at least point out that he was never given a chance in Cleveland. An injured player who was returning mid-season, completely out of rhythm, to a team that was on the verge of self-destruction. All with the expectations that he would be able to replicate what kyrie was able to do. It was a recipe for disaster.

IT has never been someone who has been lacking for confidence in his own abilities, which can be both his greatest strength and weakness at times. While he has to be humbled by his experience in Cleveland, I also have to believe he will use it as motivation. Let’s not forget how good this guy can be when healthy, and I have no doubt he’ll work his ass off to get back to that level. I’m not going to write off his career based on one bad stretch of play.

 

[r377Participant]

 When i think of hip injuries i think of Jonny Flynn.  He was a great college player that was plagued by hip injuries.

Some say this when it started for Flynn – getting run over by blake griffin in NCAA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vEW8VB6QDM

skip to 1:24.

IT needs his speed, do you think his hip injury is as serious as Jonny Flynn ? Bo Jackson also ended his career due to hip injury

 

 

 

 

 

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