Denver Nuggets: Complete 2018 offseason grades
By Max Carlin
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+