Isaiah Thomas: Celtics must 'bring the Brinks truck' to re-sign him next summer
USA TODAY SPORTS
AJ Neuharth-Keusch, USA TODAY Sports
2 hrs ago
© Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas smiles during the second half against the Miami Heat at TD Garden.
When Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas hits the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer, don't expect him to pull a Kevin Durant or Dirk Nowitzki and leave money on the table.
"I'm a max (contract) guy, so I deserve the max," Thomas told CSN New England on Friday, echoing comments he made a year ago. "We've just got to continue to take care of business on the court and let the cards fall where they may. I'm happy for all the guards and all the other guys getting their money, because they deserve it, but my time's coming.
"They know they've got to bring the Brinks truck out," Thomas said with a smile. Thomas — whose current four-year, $27 million deal signed in 2014 makes him one of the most underpaid stars in the league — is deserving of a max contract, especially with the influx of cash due to the league's $24 billion TV deal. As it stands now, Thomas is set to make just over $6 million next season — a salary trumped by over 100 of his NBA colleagues.
Thomas, who's coming off a career season in which he ranked third in the league in points per game (28.9) and finished fifth in MVP voting, would become the third max player on Boston's roster, joining Al Horford and the recently-acquired Gordon Hayward.
The question is: Will Boston be willing to throw max money at Thomas?
Not only will he be 29 next summer, but questions will always remain about his ability to lead a team to a championship due to his 5-foot-9 frame and limitations on the defensive end. On the other hand, Thomas — the 60th overall pick in the 2011 draft who struggled to find his niche in Phoenix and Sacramento — has improved drastically since coming to Boston, quickly becoming the face of the franchise and a leader on and off the court.
Poster Comment:
Bring the Brinks truck? I remember Isaiah Thomas when he was a rookie. And he sure is not worth the Brinks truck. ;)