The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly eyeing former MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas to fill their newfound vacancy at backup point guard.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, the Bucks could have interest in signing the guard after their move centered around P.J. Tucker Wednesday night. Among those traded away from Milwaukee was veteran guard D.J. Augustin, leaving the team dry at point guard aside from Jrue Holiday.
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The trade also left Milwaukee with some roster and financial flexibility, and they will logically pursue a backup point guard on the open market in the coming days. Thomas is currently a free agent looking for another shot in the NBA, and the Bucks could certainly be the team to finally give him that opportunity under such circumstances.
With their interest looming, here are the pros, cons, and an overall verdict on whether the Bucks should make a move for Thomas.
Milwaukee Bucks: The pros of signing free agent Isaiah Thomas
The answer here could simply be that the Bucks need a backup point guard and Thomas is available on the open market.
While that is feasible, the guard fits the bill for Milwaukee for a handful of other reasons, one of the more prominent being his production. Following his devastating hip injury in 2017, Thomas’s MVP-caliber stats have dipped tremendously, but he has still been a serviceable player.
In the past three seasons since then, the guard has averaged 12.8 points on .386/.345/.838 shooting splits, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Numbers like that off Milwaukee’s bench could certainly provide a boost, but there is a chance that Thomas could be even better. After being cut in February 2020, the 32-year-old underwent hip surgery to repair a lingering issue that had been bothering him for years.
Over a year later, Thomas remains hopeful he can get another chance in the league. Looking to garner attention from teams, the guard has elected to play for Team USA in a set of FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games. Getting the opportunity to show that the hip is no longer an issue, Thomas believes his return to the big leagues is coming. Via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press:
"“I’m as good now as I’ve been in any point in the last three years,” Thomas said. “Playing for USA Basketball is going to allow teams to see the way that I’m moving, the way that I’m playing, that I am back to myself, back to being the player that everyone is accustomed to seeing. I have strong belief that after they see me this weekend, somebody is going to pull the trigger and give me that opportunity — and I’m going to be more than ready for it.”"
Simply looking to get back into the NBA, Thomas is not searching for a hefty payday from a team to utilize his services. He wants to chance to prove himself, and if a team like Milwaukee offers him a minimum deal, it would be a low-risk, high-reward scenario. A healthy Isaiah Thomas is something the league has not seen in years, but he could potentially be back.