Former Celtic Isaiah Thomas signs contract for the rest of the season with the Suns

Former Celtic Isaiah Thomas won his comeback campaign on Monday, signing a contract to finish the 2023-24 season with the Phoenix Suns.

The 35-year-old guard signed the first of his two 10-day contracts with the Suns on March 20. Athletic’s Shams Charaniathe decision to offer Thomas an extended contract depended on the “backcourt depth” and his “strong leadership and vet presence in the locker room.”

After going unsigned through the 2022-23 season, Thomas joined the Utah Jazz’s G-League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, on March 6. His performance over four games – in which he averaged 32.5 points and 5.3 assists per game – drew attention. Phoenix’s attention as they look to solidify a strong foothold in the West ahead of the playoffs.

Although Thomas didn’t put up the same numbers in his return to the NBA, he had significantly fewer minutes. So far with the Suns, the 5-foot-9 guard is averaging 3.5 minutes and 1.5 points per game. And even though his overall shooting percentage is only 33.3 percent, he’s hitting 50 percent from the three-point line.

The Suns are the 10th team Thomas has played for in his 12 seasons in the league. The 2011 second-round pick began his career with the Sacramento Kings before being traded to the Celtics in 2015. Thomas rose to stardom in Boston, finishing fifth in NBA MVP voting during the 2016-17 season after an average of 28.9 points per game.