Isaiah Thomas addresses hip injury, thoughts on possible extension with Celtics

WEEI

By Sam Alberti

Isaiah Thomas spoke to reporters on Friday after the Celtics season ended Thursday. (Brad Mills/USA Today Sports)

Isaiah Thomas spoke to reporters on Friday after the Celtics season ended Thursday. (Brad Mills/USA Today Sports)

Isaiah Thomas met with reporters on Friday following the Celtics departure from the playoffs on Thursday night.

The All-Star guard gave updates on his health, as well as commenting on the state of his career.

After being sidelined with a hip injury following Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, the seriousness of the injury was unclear.

Fortunately, it looks as though Thomas may not have to go under the knife.

“[Surgery is] not the No. 1 option right now but it could be once the swelling goes down,” Thomas told reporters. “They want to let it die down a little bit then take another MRI once everything is down and it’s back to normal. We’ll go from there. Hopefully I don’t have to have surgery but I know that is an option.”

Thomas said the injury was first picked up back in March after a hard fall.

“Since I fell down in March, I think that’s what aggravated it,” Thomas said. “And then I just continued to play on it, continued to try to do as much treatment as possible. Then it just gave out. We knew that would happen at some point. They knew I wasn’t going to sit out until I couldn’t move no more. That’s what happened.”

When asked how long he thinks he will be out this summer, Thomas admitted he has no idea, and while not his strong suit, he will need to simply be patient.

“Everybody’s saying I’ve gotta be patient,” Thomas said. “I’ve never been patient in my life so this is going to be a tough summer. But I’ve gotta do what’s best for me in the long run, what’s best for my body. As Brad continues to say each and every day, it’s how you’re healthiest for the long run. Even Danny [Ainge] and those guys say that, so that says a lot about who they are as people. Most importantly, they care about my health, not just being a basketball player. So the Celtics are definitely behind me in this tough situation, but, I mean, nobody’s going to feel sorry for me. I just have to keep going and figure out what I’ve gotta do to come back at the highest level possible.”

For Thomas, that level was an incredible 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game. The guard emphasized that he is going to work with doctors to come back at nothing less than that.

“The plan is to play until 40, and they know that,” Thomas said. “All them doctors know that. So whatever they have to do to continue to play at not just a normal level, at an MVP level, that’s what I’ve been on them doctors about, and everybody on that training staff is. No matter what happens, let’s make sure I come back even better. And I will.”

Thomas has one-year left on his contract, so an extension is possible this offseason, but the guard won’t be thinking about it.”

“That means more money? Yeah, I would love that,” he said. “But if it don’t happen, I’m the last person to be bothered by that. I know everything happens for a reason so when my time comes, I know it will come and I’ll be – God will bless me.”Whatever decisions are made, it is clear that Boston has become a special place for Thomas.

Added Thomas: “Boston’s changed my career, changed my life. I would love to be here long-term and win championships here, but as you guys know it’s a business and anything can happen. And I know that. So I understand that. But I’d love to be here. This has been everything to me. This city, this organization, you guys have been the best media to me that I’ve been around. So it’s been good.”

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It should be an interesting summer.