5 teams who could give Isaiah Thomas the revival he seeks

4. Minnesota Timberwolves could use Isaiah Thomas to boost bench offense

The Minnesota Timberwolves' trade deadline acquisition of Monte Morris removes the explicit need for another backup ball-handler, but Morris' scoring efficiency has been far below his career norms in 2024. If the Wolves aren't completely confident in Morris, maybe they look to Thomas as a break-in-case-of-emergency vet.

No team is going to sign Thomas with guaranteed minutes and a prominent spot in the rotation. That said, he makes the most sense on a contender where his defensive limitations are well-insulated. The Wolves are the best defense in the NBA, complete with length at virtually every position. Minnesota can at least make a valiant effort at masking Thomas' shortcomings while benefiting from whatever offensive juice remains.

3. Miami Heat can make just about anything work, why not Isaiah Thomas?

If you were to place a gun to my head and say, "Pick a team that has to revive Isaiah Thomas' career, or else," I'd probably vote for the Miami Heat. If ever there was an organization that could get Thomas in peak physical condition and squeeze the most out of his remaining offensive skill set, it's Miami. The Heat are known practitioners of voodoo, a cabal of dark magic experts. Erik Spoelstra will find a way to get Thomas dropping 20 points per game again.

Not actually, of course... but sort of, maybe? The Heat do need guard help with Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro banged up. The defensive fit isn't great once the team is at full strength (it's not great anywhere), but the Heat could look to Thomas for brief scoring flurries off the bench. No team has experienced more success with small guards and below-average defenders in their rotation over the last few years.

Just getting Thomas a dose of that 'Heat Culture' could be what it takes to resurrect a career that has felt dead for a while. It could be Spoelstra's greatest triumph yet (do not fact-check this statement).