Fansided

5 players who would like a do-over on the 2017-18 NBA season

By Jeremy Lambert

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 28: Blake Griffin #32 of the LA Clippers reacts during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 28: Blake Griffin #32 of the LA Clippers reacts during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 28, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – JANUARY 2: Isaiah Thomas #3 listens to LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Quicken Loans Arena on January 2, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JANUARY 2: Isaiah Thomas #3 listens to LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Quicken Loans Arena on January 2, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

4. Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas would probably like to set the date back a little further on his do-over time machine. Perhaps, to the 2017 NBA Playoffs when he tried to play with a bad hip and only made things worse. Maybe he opts for surgery a bit earlier in order to be ready for the start of the 17-18 season. Maybe, since he’s a time traveler from the past, he punches Danny Ainge in the nuts for trading him in the future despite everything he did for the organization in his short time in Boston.

Thomas hoped to use the 2017-18 season to show why he deserved the Bricks truck in the offseason. Though things ended poorly in Boston, he was heading to the Cleveland Cavaliers and a chance to showcase himself in the NBA Finals. Everyone knew he would be sidelined until at least January. But he was returning to play with LeBron James. What could go wrong?

For starters, the Cavaliers were a mess defensively without Thomas. Adding him didn’t help. It’s not that Thomas is a bad defender. It’s that he’s an abysmal defender due to his height. And any hope that he could make up for his defensive deficiencies with microwave score quickly dissipated when it became clear that he didn’t have the same explosiveness.

Calling out Kevin Love didn’t help his cause because there is one golden rule in Cleveland and everyone in the Cavaliers organization must follow: Only LeBron can call out Kevin Love.

Thomas was shipped to Los Angeles at the trade deadline, giving the Lakers their first star coup since Shaq. His stint with the Lakers has been largely forgettable. He’s just existed in Los Angeles, trying to keep his name in lights while everyone else talks about Paul George.

This time last year, he was the heart and soul of a surprisingly good Celtics squad. Now he’s watching The Town.

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