When the Milwaukee Bucks stunned the NBA by landing future Hall of Fame point guard Damian Lillard last summer, they felt they had rejuvenated a team that had won it all in 2021.
But the 2023-24 season was very disappointing for them, as they never quite jelled and ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs.
The consensus is that the Bucks needed to get younger and faster, or that they at least need an infusion of some new talent.
Now, NBA insider Shams Charania is reporting that the Bucks have worked out veteran guard Isaiah Thomas, a two-time former NBA All-Star.
Bucks work out two-time NBA All-Star guard in Las Vegas: pic.twitter.com/8xCTrhPMr0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 17, 2024
It’s easy to forget that Thomas was once a very potent scorer, especially because he has barely played over the past several seasons.
He appeared in six games with the Phoenix Suns this past season after sitting out the entire 2022-23 campaign, and he hasn’t played in more than 40 games in a single season since the 2016-17 campaign.
That year, he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game with the Boston Celtics while helping them reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in five seasons.
Thomas was an MVP candidate that season, but injuries, particularly a hip injury, robbed him of much of his ability.
At this point in his career, the 5-foot-9 35-year-old is likely nothing more than a player who can be added to the bottom of an NBA roster as insurance, as he hasn’t averaged double-figures in scoring since the 2019-20 season.
