Suns give Isaiah Thomas another 10-day contract to prove himself before the playoffs

This weekend, the Suns announced that they haven’t seen enough of Isaiah Thomas and wish to give him another opportunity to prove himself. The two-time All-Star was handed another 10-day contract on Saturday, which is his perfect chance to show everyone in Phoenix he can add to his squad’s depth during the playoffs. 

The veteran signed his first 10-day deal on March 20, and even appeared against the 76ers the following day, which was the his first time competing on an NBA court in almost two years. Last time around, he was a Hornets’ athlete on April 10, 2022.

The 35-year-old then sat out four consecutive matches until he made his second and final appearance against Oklahoma City last Friday. Despite his team’s loss, Thomas dropped in 5 points in 8 minutes of play.

BREAKING: The Suns have re-signed Isaiah Thomas to a second 10-day contract, the team says

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Despite his short time on the floor, his teammates recognises how influential Isaiah’s career has been and believe he can contribute to the Phoenix cause.

Kevin Durant praised his new teammate when he first heard the news, as Thomas has produced an inspirational legacy throughout his career and believes he can continue to do so alongside him. “The story that he has, his career that he’s been through has inspired basketball players around the world,” KD said last week.

His coach Frank Vogel couldn’t agree more and noted the respect Isaiah has among the NBA community. “He’s a very well-liked, respected guy in this league, in this NBA player fraternity, but we’re gonna see where his game is at,” he said of Thomas.

“Again, I don’t know how much he’ll play for us. He’s really here from a depth standpoint because Saben Lee only has four games left,” Vogel mentioned, as the team needs more depth if they hope to contest for this league’s title.

Thomas hopes to stay in the league for at least “a few more years”, even if it doesn’t work out in Arizona

According to the two-time All-Star, he wants to stay around for a while. “I want to play a few more years in the league, so hopefully this is a setup for that,” he said before he played two minutes against Philadelphia. However, he understands that first he needs to impress to earn a better deal.

“Whatever the opportunity is, I’m ready to make an impact each and every day. Whether I play or not, it’s bigger than putting the ball in the basket for me. I’m able to lead by example, lead by my experiences. Just help in any way possible,” he expressed.

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As we all know, the Suns organization cannot give him a third 10-day contract, but after that opportunity they would have to decide if they want to sign him or let him go. Despite this, Thomas is convinced that whatever happens with his present, he will continue to prepare himself for an NBA return during the summer.

“I feel like I’m better than I was at 25,” the veteran said. “I feel the same. My mind is a lot further than it was. And I’m ready to just take advantage of whatever the opportunity is, I’m ready to be here, have fun, have good positive energy each and every day. And just get after it.”