I’m not keen on typecasting players by position, but let’s say you insist on having a passing point guard. Would you rather have:
- Player A: 32.2 assist percentage, 14.3 turnover percentage
- Player B: 21.9 assist percentage, 14.3 turnover percentage
The Kings, reportedly set on getting a distributing point guard, signed Player B (Darren Collison) and discarded Player A (Isaiah Thomas).
Yeah, I don’t know either.
Thomas averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game last season, but that still wasn’t good enough for Sacramento, which let its starting point guard join the Suns after signing Collison.
I’m sure Thomas felt wanted in Phoenix, but that’s not the only reason he wound up with the Suns.
Bob Young AZCentral Sports:Yet, the Kings seemed to look for someone to replace Thomas at every opportunity.
“They were,” he said matter-of-factly. “I felt very disrespected. Every year it was somebody new. I felt I did a good enough job to show them I was a starting point guard or a guy who could play a big role with their team. But they thought differently.
I believe Sacramento will regret treating Thomas this way, and he’ll obviously use this as motivation.
Not that he needs anymore.
At just 5-foot-9, Thomas was drafted with the final pick of the 2011 NBA draft. He had to claw just to make the NBA after being selected, let alone stick in the league.
He’s had many doubters along the way – including, apparently, the team that gave him his first NBA opportunity.