Isaiah Thomas Says He’s Not Damaged

Responding to concerns over his injured hip, Isaiah Thomas says he is “not damaged” and vows to return to the court as “the same player.”

Boston recently traded Thomas to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving, but the blockbuster is currently on hold with the two sides locked in a staring contest over I.T.’s health.

The 28-year-old All-Star point guard doesn’t anticipate the hip harming his career going forward:

“I am not damaged,” Thomas told ESPN on Tuesday. “I’ll be back, and I’ll be the same player.”

 

Cleveland and Boston officials started to engage each other on a solution Tuesday, league sources told ESPN. The Cavs are no longer seeking one of the Celtics’ top young players, but they are still determined to land one of Boston’s first-round picks as compensation, and the conversation has included second-round considerations, too, league sources said.

 

“There’s never been an indication that I wouldn’t be back, and there’s never been an indication that this is something messing up my career,” Thomas told ESPN. “Maybe I am not going to be back as soon this season as everyone wants me to be, but I’m going to be back, and I’m going to be the same player again. No doctor has told me anything different than that.”

 

Thomas said he has been in consistent contact with Cavaliers officials since his physical Friday in Cleveland.

 

“I don’t know what [the organization] is doing,” Thomas told ESPN. “It’s out of my control. I just want to talk about what I can control, and I know that this [hip] won’t be a problem into the future.”

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