The NBA World Reacts To Isaiah Thomas Getting Boned With The Veteran’s Minimum In Denver

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images


If you were to tell me back in 2016 that Isaiah Thomas would be signing a one-year veteran minimum at just 29-years-old less than two years later, I would have told you to go bomb onstage at an open mic. Thomas, who back then re-ignited Boston’s fanbase with hope that had been absent since the Big 3 era, was a force none like any other. The 5’9” point guard set the Celtics franchise record with 43 straight games with 20+ points, breaking John Havlicek’s record set in 1972 en route to his second straight All-Star season.

Last season, a nagging hip injury contributed to Thomas coming off the worst season of his career in 2017, and now Thomas will play next season for the Denver Nuggets for about $2 million, or the NBA salary of a bag of stale unsalted peanuts. Not ideal for a guy whose scored more points since he entered the NBA than all but 17 players and whose career earnings of $28 million match what Gordon Hayward made last season alone, reports Hoops Hype.

It would be premature to label Thomas’ career as “what could have been” seeing as a solid showing in Denver under his former coach at Sacramento could prompt teams to open up their wallets in free agency, but his short-term decline highlights the fickle business beast that is professional sports.

Here is how NBA players, analysts, and fans reacted to the news.

Denver could be a very fun team to watch next year. If IT is balling and Nikola Jokic plays up to his five-year, $147 million max contract (too soon, IT), they could make some waves. God I hope IT balls out so he can get what he’s given to the league the past six years. The world will be out of balance otherwise.

 

Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.