Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Thomas revealed after the event that he met Michael Jordan on Friday, and their conversation prevented him from getting much rest ahead of All-Star Saturday night.
“He said he’s been watching,” Thomas said of his conversation with Jordan. “He said, ‘Keep killing.’ He said, ‘Take the night off when you play us (the Charlotte Hornets), but keep doing your thing.’
“That’s crazy,” he continued. “I couldn’t sleep last night when he said that.”
Thomas added that receiving such compliments from “the greatest player ever” was a jarring moment, which led to his restless night in bed.
[protected-iframe id=”def9850406471b48e21949d0cdcedb92-114320562-1227608″ info=”//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js” class=”instagram-media”]“That was probably the biggest [deal] is to have Michael Jordan say that about me and that he’s taking notice,” Thomas said. “For sure [it motivates me], he’s the greatest player ever. For him to say he’s taking notice in what I’m doing first off lets me know I’m doing something somewhat right and second of all for him to say ‘keep going,’ that’s what I am going to keep doing.”
Isaiah Thomas’ wonderful life continues to blossom into wonderful fever dream filled with legends of the game publicly and privately blessing his MVP-caliber season. With each name bigger than the last, Thomas’ star rises ever higher.
His hero Allen Iverson has accepted him as a peer.
Celtics legend Paul Pierce has passed the torch to him.
And now Michael Jordan has placed his hand on Isaiah’s shoulder and accepted him as one of the league’s stars. Coming from Jordan takes this praise to a different level, for obvious reasons.
It’s hard to put ourselves in Isaiah’s shoes because sports sort of dehumanize the athletes. We don’t always see them as regular people. They almost become characters in a show we watch about basketball, rather than people who happen to have a certain, rare set of skills.
In our own heads, we’ve all still got a little bit of our high school selves in us. Some of those things we used to be back in our awkward mid-to-late teenage years still show up in our day-to-day psychosis. That’s true of almost everyone. That’s true of Isaiah.
So when he strolls around an All Star Weekend party and takes it all in, there is still a wide-eyed “look at me, I can’t believe I made it here” tinge to the experience. When Thomas thinks back to watching Iverson play, idolizing a “little guy” like himself… and then he turns a corner and sees his idol there waiting to say hi… that’s exhilarating.
And then when the guy everyone wanted to be… a basketball God… praises you? Accepts you into the fraternity of NBA stardom?
Holy. Shit.
He shouldn’t have been able to sleep. I’d still have a perma-smile on my face at the NEXT All Star break. What an amazing moment. What a moment to be proud of.
For a guy like Isaiah Thomas, a guy who has so obviously been overlooked and underrated for so long, this is the highest point of his career. For a moment, Isaiah can take a breath this weekend and survey his kingdom. He’s earned it… just like he’s earned the respect of the greats of the game.
Related links: Herald: Jordan showers love on Isaiah Thomas | Globe: Thomas counts NBA peers among his fans
Page 2: A peek into Isaiah’s routine
Coach Brad Stevens walks through the marble-floored lobby with a stack of papers, heading someplace quiet to scribble fresh thoughts about his surging team. A few players enter the hotel carrying food in takeout boxes and go back to their rooms. Then Isaiah Thomas steps from an elevator and walks slowly toward the entrance as the hotel’s trendy music thumps in the background. He has just woken from a nap.
The 5-foot-9-inch point guard is wearing sneakers and Celtics shorts, and a hooded sweatshirt covers his long-sleeved practice warm-up. Even though it is late, even though it has been a taxing road trip that has spanned four time zones, even though there is a game tomorrow, he is going to a gym — just like he does the night before almost every Celtics road game.
Globe: Ubers Gyms & Jumpers… a night on the road with Isaiah Thomas
… but Isaiah can’t sit there and soak in the love for too long, though… and judging from this piece, he won’t.
This is a great look into Isaiah’s daily routine, which includes a trip to the gym on off-nights before games to get shots up. Three things stand out in this piece:
1: Isaiah is a tireless worker who has earned his current place in the NBA through an unmatched drive and work ethic.
2: The bit about the Sacramento Kings trying to figure out how to get Isaiah to ease up in practices is SOOOO telling about their franchise. Instead of pointing to him as inspiration for the team…
A Sacramento coach even called the Washington staff and asked how to get Thomas to ease up, because he was making teammates look bad.
Excuse me… WHAT?
When you wonder why some franchises are perennially bad, this is part of why that happens.
3: His interaction with his 5-year-old son who was sad he missed a chance to talk to a girl is awesome.
This is a really great piece with some great insight into the grind and what Isaiah is willing to do to get better.
Page 3: Your obligatory trade report that sounds like news but is really just everyone doing their jobs.
[protected-iframe id=”08a069e3b373ef11f933a5a826728062-114320562-1227608″ info=”https://sports.yahoo.com/video/woj-report-nba-trade-deadline-025519235.html?format=embed” width=”640″ height=”360″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]On the surface, Woj saying things like “The potential of a Boston-Chicago deal for Jimmy Butler, I think it will loom over the entire week. These teams have engaged on the potential of this trade.. they have not gotten far down the road on it…” sounds like “OH MAN DANNY IS MAKING THINGS HAPPEN!!”
In reality, this is Danny doing his job. He has talked to the Bulls in the past about Butler, and now that the entire NBA is in the same city before the trade deadline, they’re talking again. However, a few Sazeracs into a long night of talking business might be enough to get the ball moving on this deal.
If the Bulls DO trade Butler, they’re hitting the reset button. They want young players and picks. So they’ll want Jaylen Brown over Jae Crowder. They’ll want Marcus Smart over Avery Bradley. They’ll ask for every pick we have.
What Ainge wants is to get his star now, and keep some pieces for the future. He’s got picks to play with, and I personally believe there’s no chance he gives up BOTH Brooklyn picks in a potential Butler deal. Keep in mind, he also has the rights to Ante Zizic and Guerschon Yabusele to sweeten a deal.
However, this continues to feel like a long shot. As Woj says in that video, Chicago isn’t fully on board with the idea of moving Butler… something Steve Bulpett confirms.
The belief here is that Ainge would, indeed, pull the trigger on a deal for a player such as Jimmy Butler or Paul George — should either become available — because such a talent would be their de facto free agent signing. But absent that, all indications are that he will continue to work the edges and maintain flexibility. (And it should be noted that Chicago and Indiana would rather build around those players than move them.)
So Ainge would have to pry him free… which means giving up more than he’d normally be willing to give. Ainge has shown remarkable restraint until now, and I don’t think he’s going to waiver. If anything, I think the near-whiff of an overpay to get Justise Winslow might have scared him straight. Winslow is a nice player, but I’m betting Ainge is sitting there thinking about what almost was and is thankful Michael Jordan was so enamored with Frank Kaminsky.
Get ready for a whole bunch of stuff that feels like news but really isn’t. Danny Ainge will be talking to a bunch of teams in New Orleans. He’s willing to move a Brooklyn pick for a star. He’s also willing to listen to other ideas or even hop into a deal as a third team.
We know these things already. We’ve always known them. But somewhere along the line, someone will put those things into sentences sprinkled with “sources say” and it’ll get a rise out of us. Again.
And Finally….
…. a few words about All Star Saturday:
Isaiah announced his retirement from the Skills Challenge #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) February 19, 2017
Isaiah lost again and says he’s done with the skills challenge. Kristaps Porzingis won it, which is awesome because it’s giving us stuff like this:
When you haven't won a championship in 44 years but you got Porzingis pic.twitter.com/58s5tFmldB
— 👑 (@KingMatt214) February 19, 2017
The Sager Foundation thing was awesome!
The Sager Shootout raises $500K for the #SagerStrong Foundation! pic.twitter.com/nPpk6Wuw6h
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2017
And people were ragging on the dunk contest.. which I understand to a degree. But… when people are bored with watching guys jump over a row of humans, put the ball between their legs, and dunk… what’s that say about us?
Yeah, the dunk contest has basically become “how weird can I make this between-the-legs dunk look?” but there’s some impressive stuff going on (not the drone thing, though, Aaron Gordon).
Related links: Globe: Thomas didn’t win skills competition, but his speed was on display
The rest of the links:
Herald: Abdel Nader happy with Red Claws, eager for more with Celtics | Irving: reaction to “world is flat” comment “hilarious:
Globe: A young Paul Pierce would be “unguardable” now | It can get complicated between former players and owners
CSNNE: Webber, Massimino among HOF finalists
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