Boston Celtics fan favorite Isaiah Thomas is reportedly returning to Boston, but this time he will be working off the court.
According to “Boston Globe” reporter Adam Himmelsbach, Thomas will rejoin the Celtics as a professional and college scout, opening a new chapter for the former All-Star after years of trying to make an NBA comeback.
Thomas has been in Chicago this week working with Boston executives at the NBA draft combine.
The Celtics currently hold the No. 27 pick in next month’s draft, and the organization appears to be giving Thomas an early taste of front-office life.
The move also brings Thomas back to the team, where he’s playing the best basketball of his career.
After arriving in Boston during the 2014-15 season, he quickly became one of the league’s best scorers and helped the Celtics become a contender in the Eastern Conference.
He made back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2016 and 2017 while becoming one of the most popular players in franchise history.
That stretch came to an abrupt halt during the 2017 playoffs when Thomas suffered a hip injury that ultimately changed the trajectory of his career.
Boston traded Thomas to the Cleveland Cavaliers before next season in a blockbuster deal that brought Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. Injuries continued to plague Thomas after that, causing him to play for various teams in the NBA over the next few years.
Even after bouncing around the league, he never completely gave up on the game. He recently signed with the Salt Lake City Stars (G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz) in January 2025 in an effort to restart his career.
Prior to that, he signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns in March 2024, although he never played in a game.
Now, instead of chasing another roster spot, Thomas is starting to build a future in talent evaluation and player development on the team where he became a star.
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