Soaring Down South
Fansided

4 Veteran Free Agents Hawks Could Sign this Offseason

By Chris Guest

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 16: Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Miami Heat at Staples Center on March 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 16: Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Miami Heat at Staples Center on March 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – MARCH 22: Isaiah Thomas #3 (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – MARCH 22: Isaiah Thomas #3 (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

I know, I know. Isaiah Thomas’s 2017-18 season could politely be described as a letdown and more vociferously described as a never-ending nightmare of bad blood with LeBron James and a slow recovery from offseason surgery. But Thomas could make for a nice “buy low” option for Atlanta now that Thomas’s value is the lowest it has been in years.

During the 2016-17 season, Thomas was a legitimate superstar and MVP candidate, taking on the moniker of the “King of the Fourth” due to his propensity of taking over games with immensely clutch buckets in the fourth quarter of close games.

After valiantly fighting his way through multiple injuries in the 2017 postseason (as well as the tragic death of his sister), Thomas had offseason surgery and then was promptly traded by Danny Ainge to the Cavs as part of the Kyrie Irving deal. Things did not go well in The Land, as Thomas was shipped off during this year’s trade deadline as the Cavs remade themselves on the fly to distance themselves from the bad blood between Bron and Thomas.

With all of that drama behind him, Thomas’s value has tanked during the 2018 calendar year. Once thought of as being worth a max contract (or “backing up the Brinks truck” as Thomas colorfully put it), he will likely only be able to nab a far cheaper, one-year deal from a potential team.

The Hawks would do well to try and sign Thomas, as he could be a strong veteran presence for any players the team takes in the 2018 Draft and would also slot right into the starting point guard role that will likely be vacated by Dennis Schroder.

Only one season removed from averaging 29.8 points per game and finishing Top-5 in MVP voting, some of that latent scoring ability must still be there for Thomas – who looked much better as a Laker than during his troubled time with the Cavs.