Things aren’t looking bright for All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas or his new team Cleveland Cavaliers. It isn’t a secret that Thomas has is sidelined with a hip injury and that he won’t be able to begin 2017-2018 NBA season. But according to the latest reports from The Atletic’s Jason Lloyd, the injury is more serious than anyone guessed.
Loyd wrote the following:
“One source with direct knowledge of Thomas’ hip condition told The Athletic last week that he is dealing with more than just a tear. Some of those secondary issues in the hip he has played with for years now, such as a loss of cartilage and some arthritis, are complicating his healing process.
“No one has any idea how quickly this will heal or if it even will heal at all,” the source said. “It’s hard to predict.”
Although these claims should not be taken too seriously, the fact is that no one knows when Isaiah Thomas will step on the basketball court. Cleveland Cavaliers held a press conference on Thursday, introducing Thomas alongside Jae Crowder and Ante Zizic. Besides the three players, Cavs also obtained Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first round pick and Miami Heat’s 2020 second round pick by sending Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics. On the press conference, Cavs representatives were reluctant to talk about the injury of Isaiah Thomas but Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue confirmed he will miss the beginning of the season.
Without Thomas, Cavaliers are left with Derrick Rose, Jose Calderon, and Kay Felder as their point guards. The reality is that none of these three players can provide enough fire power that Cavs lost with Kyrie Irving and thought they gained with Thomas. Even if Thomas returns this season, no one knows will he be the same player as he was during his time with the Celtics. LeBron James may be enough to force another NBA Finals in the weak Eastern Conference, but for a Championship, they will need everything they have and more.
