Scooping Isaiah Thomas
In the last two seasons, Isaiah Thomas’ impact has ranged from fringe MVP candidate to fringe NBA player.
As far as potential outcomes in 2018-19 go, Thomas’ best and worst are among the league’s most disparate.
I feel comfortable saying 2016-17 Thomas is gone forever (elite burst and explosion eroded, fluky off-the-dribble shooting regressed), but if 80-90 percent of that player lives within the husk we saw in 2017-18, the Nuggets may have added a fairly high-end starting point guard to their bench.
Alternatively, if 2017-18 Isaiah Thomas is the new reality, the Nuggets will need a different solution at backup point guard.
Thomas was a smart upside play for the Nuggets. His addition raised the Nuggets’ ceiling considerably without appreciably lowering the team’s floor. The move is far from a lock to work out, but well done, Nuggets.
Grade: B+