Players Not Named Kevin Durant That Isaiah Thomas Should Recruit This Summer
BOSTON (CBS) -- Isaiah Thomas is wearing many different hats for the Boston Celtics these days.
He was a first-time all-star last season, and finished the year as the team's leading scorer. Danny Ainge and the Boston brass sent Thomas to the NBA Draft Lottery to represent the team and serve as their good luck charm -- or as Ainge called him, the team's leprechaun. Thomas had some success bringing Boston a little bit of luck at the lottery, with the team landing the third overall pick (it could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse).
Now, he's being asked to be the team's No. 1 recruiter during their offseason quest for a superstar. Thomas stepped into that new role late Monday night, sending out a Tweet (and quickly deleting it) to recruit Kevin Durant to Boston. Durant is going to have plenty of suitors this summer, so it's good that Thomas got his pitch in early. Chances are Durant remains with OKC, with Boston's odds of landing the superstar about 1 percent, but you have to applaud IT for the effort.
While he doesn't have another star player to join him when he makes those Celtics sales pitches, Thomas has plenty on his side that a good (read: fast-talking) salesman can sell to potential targets. There's the franchise's rich tradition and passionate fanbase. There's a pretty good young coach on the Boston bench in Brad Stevens. And Ainge has all the pieces he needs to pull off a major trade (except for, at the moment, a trading partner), so players can maybe give Trader Danny a wish list of sidekicks if that helps the process.
Hopefully Thomas is active and, most importantly, successful as a salesman this summer. Here are a handful of players he should set his sights on:
Jimmy Butler
Thomas already did some work on this one back at the NBA Draft Lottery, when the two All-Stars represented their teams.
Ainge would have to swing a trade with the Bulls to land Butler (which he reportedly tried to do at the trade deadline but didn't want to part with Jae Crowder at the time), but Butler could assist in the process if Thomas can convince him to ask for a trade. The two-time All-Star would be the scoring wing the Celtics have lacked, and is signed for the next three seasons with a player option for a fourth.
DeMar DeRozan
The Raptors star is coming off a career year, averaging 23.5 points per game on 45 percent shooting. He was half of a dynamic scoring duo with Kyle Lowry north of the border, and would do the same with Thomas in Boston. DeRozan has a player option for next season but will likely get much more than $9.5 million on the open market. If he doesn't end up back with the Raptors or with the Lakers (his hometown team), Thomas should try to get DeRozan to Boston.
DeMarcus Cousins
Thomas and Cousins had some fun (just not much success) when they were together in Sacramento, and though the Kings have been adamant that they aren't trading Cousins, maybe IT can convince him to ask for/demand a trade.
Hassan Whiteside
The seven-footer averaged a double-double for the second straight year and led the NBA with 3.7 blocks per game. He'd be a perfect fit for Boston's need in the paint, though Thomas would have to convince him to stop leveling Kelly Olynyk. Or does he...
Bismack Biyombo
Someone is going to overpay him after an impressive postseason, so maybe Thomas and the Celtics should stay out of this one. But Biyombo is only 23 and it looks like he can only get better. He's already pretty darn good at blocking shots and rebounding the basketball, two things the Celtics could use on their roster.
Joakim Noah
The veteran center is reportedly done with the Bulls after a frustrating and injury-plagued season, and is ready for a new team. Noah has never been a superstar, but he'd be a savvy veteran the Celtics could use off the bench to pull down some rebounds and play some interior defense.
Thomas would have to really sell things in order to convince Noah to come off the bench, but adding a veteran big man with postseason experience would be a huge addition for such a young team.
Dwight Howard
It wouldn't be so much of convincing Howard to come to Boston, but more convincing Howard to grow up and focus on basketball. And also, take less money.