Isaiah Thomas played his first season in the NBA since 2022 with the Suns and says he plans to stay in the league for a little while yet.
The 35-year-old was playing for the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League prior to signing with the Suns on multiple 10-day contracts and he’s hoping he can secure more than that with an NBA team moving forward.
“Look, I’m trying, well, not trying – I’m going to be in the league for a couple more years,” Thomas told NBC Sports Boston. “I want to get a couple more years, a couple more years out until my boys get to high school [where] I can put my full focus on those guys and their development.”
The 5-foot-9 guard was a fan favorite back when he played for Boston in 2016-17 and made All-NBA second team.
His never-say-die attitude was in full display in Boston’s first playoff game of the 2017 season when he played a day after his younger sister’s passing and scored a game-high 33 points.
He succumbed to longstanding hip problems in the summer of 2017 and was never the same player.
NBA fans from every team have followed his journey ever since.
It’s a journey he wants to keep exploring, not yet calling time on his 12-season career in the league.
“I’m trying to get to at least 14 years (in the NBA),” Thomas said. “I know Muggsy Bogues — my goal was always to try to beat out Muggsy Bogues in being the smallest guy to have the longest career in the NBA. That’s still the ultimate goal, and I’m going to reach that. I’m going to keep staying on the slow grind, the marathon continues.
Thomas is really hoping one of the 30 teams in the league will take a chance on him.
“Somebody has to give me an opportunity where I can take full advantage of it,” Thomas said of what’s next for him.
The Suns flamed out in the first round after getting swept by the red-hot Timberwolves.
Many NBA fans thought Phoenix might rely on IT more heavily to help on offense.
But Thomas only played in six games, averaging 3.2 minutes per game, 0.5 assists per game and 1.3 points per game this season.
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