Isaiah returns to Kings court
SACRAMENTO — The Golden 1 Center is the NBA’s newest arena, and a far cry from the incongruous bandbox that Isaiah Thomas played in as a member of the Kings.
“I’ve never seen this place. This is a dope arena, nice,” the Celtics point guard said after getting his first look at the arena, and its location in the middle of downtown Sacramento. “It’s cool to be back here and see the old freeway. I haven’t seen too much, but it’s familiar, so it’s good to be back.”
Good and bad, actually. Thomas, who never forgets anything, continues to harbor resentment over a decision by Kings management to sign and trade him to Phoenix in 2014 for a trade exception and the rights to a center named Alex Oriakhi, who has divided his entire career between the NBADL and Europe.
Asked about Oriakhi, Thomas said, “Who? No disrespect, I didn’t even know who he was. That was their decision.”
Thomas has often talked about his time as a King, and management’s neverending search for a better option at point guard.
When a media member mentioned that Sacramento “almost” told Thomas that he wasn’t wanted, he cut off the question.
“Almost? They didn’t want me,” he said. “It just says a lot. I’ve continued to work no matter what the situation was.
“I will always have a love and appreciation for this city, though. They gave me my first chance,” he said of a franchise that drafted him 60th in 2011. “They took me in with open arms. There’s a lot of people who treated me great here, and a few people who took me for granted. It’s all good. I’m happy where I am now.”
But this time Thomas returns not only as a twotime All-Star, but as the second leading scorer in the NBA (behind only Russell Westbrook) with a 29.9 scoring average that also happens to be the second highest scoring average in Celtics history.
Thomas understands that he doesn’t have to crow right now. His numbers are speaking on his behalf.
“Nah, they know, they see it,” said Thomas. “I don’t have to prove anything to them. My first three years here were great. This was my second home for a little bit, and Sacramento will always have a place in my heart.”
Thomas also understands that along with the suspended DeMarcus Cousins and the injured Rudy Gay, the Kings might have had a strong nucleus moving forward. But it’s not an argument he wants to hear.
“Doesn’t matter, because they were pushing me out of here,” he said. “They didn’t like what I brought to the table. He’s too small, he’s a liability on defense, he shoots too much, it was always something. I had to get out of here, even though I love this city and these fans were just amazing to me. It was my time to go, because they didn’t want me.”
Thomas now hears his name mentioned nightly as a distant third entry in the NBA’s MVP argument, behind Oklahoma City’s Westbrook and Houston’s James Harden.
“At first it was surreal (to hear it),” he said. “I’ve always thought I could be an MVP in this league. For it to happen and to have people talking about it around the world is surreal. I sit back and think about it, it puts me in a good place.
“It’s just all talk. Those two other guys who are in it are having unbelievable years. I’m going to just keep going, keep trying and striving for the best.”
‘I will always have a love and appreciation for this city.’ — CELTS G ISAIAH THOMAS On Sacramento