Isiah Thomas has his early pick for next year’s NBA champions, and it is the Boston Celtics.
That choice, of course, is subject to change. But Thomas likes the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, especially considering the Celtics did not have to part with either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
“Maybe Porzingis is the missing piece,” says Thomas. “They have all the pieces, and should be favored to win it all.”
There is connective tissue between the Celtics and Thomas’ Detroit Pistons. Thomas took his first trip to the NBA Finals in his seventh season, then won the title against the Los Angeles Lakers the following year. Along the way, his Pistons struggled mightily with the Larry Bird-Kevin McHale-Robert Parish led Celtics, not altogether different from the manner Tatum and Brown, entering, respectively, their seventh and eighth seasons, have fallen short against the Miami Heat in two of their last three meetings in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pistons also made a significant trade ahead of their back-to-back title run in 1989 and ’90, dealing core player Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre, who was a perfect fit alongside Thomas and Joe Dumars. The Celtics would be thrilled if the end result is similar with Porzingis.
“I see the similarities,” says Thomas. “They did have to trade Marcus Smart, but the core of the team is still intact. The Celtics have been knocking on the door for so long. Think about the success Tatum and Brown have had at such young ages. Not many people have that type of success without winning a championship.
“They’ve been to four Eastern Conference Finals and one NBA Final. It’s pretty remarkable that they’ve been knocking on the door for so long and they haven’t won it yet.”
Another team that Thomas believes will be a top contender is the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns fell short last season, eliminated by the Denver Nuggets, who were the eventual champs. But the team has had a remarkable off-season, revamping its roster–moving future Hall of Famer Chris Paul–and adding Bradley Beal and Bol Bol to surround Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton.
“Phoenix, in terms of acquiring Durant and acquiring Beal, and what they’ve done in free agency, it’s pretty remarkable,” says Thomas, who has served as an informal adviser to Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia. “Since the time Mat Ishbia bought the team, they were fighting to get in. In six months, he’s put the team in a position to compete for a championship, so you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for what he’s done in a short amount of time.”
Thomas, who is still working as an analyst for NBA TV, is the centerpiece of a new capsule collection for the Mitchell & Ness brand. More than three decades have passed since the famed “Bad Boy” Pistons won their last title, defeating an incredibly underrated Portland TrailBlazers squad.
After winning a back-to-back title and Finals MVP in ’90, Thomas later went on to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. He also had tenures overseeing a number of different teams as coach and GM before settling into his role as an analyst. Now 62, Thomas remains an icon of the game.
“After all these years, the ‘Bad Boy’ name in basketball is still relevant,” says Thomas. “In the neighborhood, when you see something that’s really good, you’d say, ‘That’s bad.’ It’s great to have this opportunity to partner with Mitchell & Ness. That style with the Pistons, it took off domestically and internationally. There is worldwide appeal because of what we did on the floor.”
Thomas is highly regarded for his success in the NBA’s golden era of Michael Jordan, Bird, and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, but he keeps an open mind for the manner in which the game has evolved. That is apparent in his commentary of heralded top pick Victor Wembanyama, as well as the way he breaks down the game.
“I love the game,” says Thomas. “I’m a fan first. Any time I see something that’s good, I admire it. I have the luxury of being able to talk about and let other people know what I’m seeing. The game continues to evolve. Look at Allen Iverson. Little guys going to the basket dunking of seven-footers, I admire those things. Watching Steph Curry shoot from half court; that’s worth talking about and acknowledging. This is different, this is good, and people should pay attention.”
Since the time he made his NBA debut in October of 1981, Thomas’ life has been centered around basketball at the highest level. But his admiration for the game extends back even further, with an immense amount of respect for those who came before him, particularly basketball legend Bob Cousy.
“When I first got into the league, Cousy was the standard,” says Thomas. “He was the one you measured yourself against at the point guard position. I still remember making this statement as a player–I said, ‘When I’m done playing, when they mention Bob Cousy’s name, I hope my name is also in that statement.’ He was so inspirational to point guards.”
Thomas still holds Cousy in a higher regard than himself, and for good reason: the Celtics guard came first.
“He’s the one who sparked my imagination,” says Thomas. “Imagine doing that for the next generation? That’s very significant. Because of him, we had something to measure ourselves against and shoot for.”
Somehow, in every conversation with Thomas, the topic inevitably turns to either Jordan or Bird. That was no different here, as Thomas was asked for his opinion on former teammate Dennis Rodman’s comments that a player of Bird’s skill set would be playing in Europe in today’s game.
It is hard to determine whether Rodman meant what he said, or it was just a desire to evoke emotions and make headlines. It was not not altogether different from when Rodman caused headlines in 1987 over Bird’s prowess–or alleged lack thereof–on the parquet floor.
When asked his feeling on Rodman’s comments, Thomas was measured in his response.
“I’m not even going to bite on it,” says Thomas. “I’m leaving that alone. Dennis is a grown man. He can speak for himself.”
Thomas always had a knack for adding energy and excitement to basketball. In 2023, his fingerprints continue to be all over the game. He was extremely close with longtime coach Brendan Malone, whose career spanned six decades. Malone is the father of current Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who just steered the Nuggets to a championship, making this year’s title extra sweet for Thomas.
Brendan Malone, widely recognized for his defense and whose coaching career spanned six decades, is the recipient of the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) announced today. pic.twitter.com/jBswC92RZ4
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) July 9, 2023
“The Malone family and the Thomas family are extremely close,” says Thomas. “Brendan Malone was the assistant coach when I played in Detroit. When we took over the team in Toronto, I hired Brendan Malone to be our head coach. When I got the job in Indiana, he was with me in Indiana. When I got the job in New York, he was with me in New York. I learned so much from him as a teacher. He had a powerful influence on me and the game of basketball.
“Michael Malone was with us throughout that journey. When I saw Michael coach, I’d heard him speak at the podium after they won the championship, I could see his father’s influence. I spoke with Michael after their championship journey, and he said, ‘Don’t forget the most important person.’ He was talking about his mother, Maureen Malone. She is definitely the pillar of the family.”
With his newest clothing collection as the latest example, Thomas’ influence has endured as a hallmark of the game. The fact that his career elicits such vivid memories brings unrelenting joy to the Hall of Fame point guard.
“I’m very grateful that it still means something to people,” says Thomas. “The ‘Bad Boys’, we’re still relevant in the game of basketball, which is an incredible honor.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
