NBA

Isiah Thomas on Isaiah Thomas: ‘Emotionally, he’s wounded’

Isiah Thomas arrives at the NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36 on Monday, June 26, 2017, in New York. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

By Nicole Yang

2 minutes to read

Isaiah Thomas still hasn’t spoken out since the news broke that he has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but updates regarding the point guard’s status have been slowly emerging through his family and other individuals in the league.

Former NBA All-Star Isiah Thomas said that he recently chatted with Isaiah about how he’s been coping with the move, and it’s unsurprisingly been tough on the point guard. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Isiah shared what he learned from the pair’s conversation:

Emotionally, he’s hurt. Emotionally, he’s wounded.

Now from a basketball standpoint—he and Kyrie Irving—this will be great for both of them. They both will do well.

It really was like a punch in the gut because it came out of nowhere. Kyrie was expecting the trade. He was prepared for it. Talking to Isaiah the other night, now he’s scrambling trying to find out where his kids are going to go to school, trying to find a place to live. And it was just so unexpected for him.

The thing that really, kind of, pulled at my heartstrings is that he said he gave his heart and soul to the Celtics. He gave them everything. And you know, it’s a business. And we all understand it’s a business, but to have it happen in such a way for him, I think it really hurt him, and I think it’s going to be difficult for him to trust again. To give that trust, that loyalty, that love to another organization.

I think the Cavaliers are definitely going to have to do some relationship mending to get him back to the point where he loves being where he’s at. Because he’s a small guy, the thing that gets him over is his love and his passion. And if those things are kind of missing a little bit, it’s going to be hard. So Cleveland’s got some relationship things they’ve got to do to build that trust back.

Isaiah’s dad, James, elected not to discuss his son’s reaction to the announcement but affirmed that he’s confident Thomas will succeed no matter where he goes.