It is about to be Game 2 of the NBA Finals, but that does not mean the rumors have stopped flowing around the Boston Celtics and trading Isaiah Thomas. Here's why it's not a good idea.
I might stand alone on this subject, but I will stand proudly and yell, "The Boston Celtics should not trade Isaiah Thomas because of Markelle Fultz!"
Since the 2012 NBA Draft, there have been very few point guards that have established themselves as primary contributors for their team. That tiny list of players includes Damian Lillard, with Dennis Schroder and Eflrid Payton just making the cut due to breakout seasons.
Being a dominant point guard that helps the team win takes time. The chances Fultz helps the Celtics improve his rookie season is very unlikely. If they keep both Thomas and Fultz, then he might be a beneficial bench player, with plenty of time to develop behind a very talented backcourt, in a very welcoming city.
The Celtics are ahead of schedule, trying to cause problems for LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. It is hard to fix what isn't broken, and I would not say the Celtics are a broken team, just missing a paint presence.
Overcrowding
Markelle Fultz might be the best draft prospect, but that doesn't really mean much. If anything, it adds to the hype and barriers he will face coming into the league at 19 years old. Not to mention that in the NBA, you aren't a threat until you prove yourself in an actual game. Seeing how he has yet to play a game in the NBA, the Celtics will already be taking a step back in drafting ANOTHER point guard.
Truthfully, Isaiah Thomas is an ideal point guard for the Celtics. He throws teams off with his ability to drive combined with his consistent outside shot, especially in late-game situations. When the game is close, there are very few players you would rather have the ball.
He proved he can move the ball and his only real hindrance is size, which the Celtics have seemed to mask by drafting other players that excel on defense like Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, and Jaylen Brown. That is also not counting the fact that Thomas has incredible hand speed and can strip the ball from some of the best ball handlers in the league.
Terry Rozier
You might have thought I forgot about Terry Rozier, but how could I? He has developed into a solid backup point guard, despite getting limited minutes. His most impressive improvement this season was developing this hair-trigger style of play that allowed him to see extended run when he was producing.
His consistency will come, but finding a weakness in Rozier's game outside of that is difficult. He makes slightly debatable decisions, but carries them out with 100 percent effort, ultimately showing the mark of a confident future playmaker.
Not many guards willingly go to the rim with the same intensity over and over. Rozier may have been one of the most blocked Celtics this season, but I will take his fearlessness any day. That type of attribute is unteachable, meaning Rozier is on the path to be a highly impactful player off the bench next season. If Brad Stevens can find a way to rotate Rozier alongside more defensive players like Marcus Smart, the backcourt dynamic can be frightening for opposing teams.
Overlooking the obvious
The trading Isaiah Thomas banter needs to stop. All of a sudden, being a 5'9″ point guard is expendable, regardless of how talented you are. Isaiah Thomas undoubtedly deserved his All-Star selection, established himself as the premier late-game scorer, and ultimately acted as the heart behind a Celtics team that some said had no business being in the Eastern Conference Finals.
You would need to pry Isaiah Thomas from my cold, lifeless fingers if I were Danny Ainge. I understand talent is talent, but getting rid of the "heart" of your team will cause the rest of the players to fall apart.
That's not even including the lifelong friendship and chemistry between Bradley and Thomas. This team seems to like each other, and it's not worth gambling the chemistry for an unproven rookie.
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