How IT's hip could effect the future of this team

[CFAN38]

To this date we do not know the prognosis on IT's hip however reading the below article brings to light the very real possibility that IT will not be available to start the season.

https://docflynn.com/2017/05/21/isaiah-thomas-hip-injury/

also a good read

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28422531

If surgery is required and happens in June it looks like the earliest IT would be back on the court would be early December.

This could have a dramatic effect of the teams future plans. Let assume that IT, AB and Smart are not traded and Fultz is drafted. Surgery would mean that DA and BS would have over a month to watch the team perform without IT. If Smart and Fultz thrive as replacements for IT this could really effect his pending free agency. I suspect a strong November from the young guards leads to AB being resigned and IT being traded. 

[manl_lui]

I honestly feel IT is an amazing player, his injury started in about March right? He is so tough and does it all carrying our team on his back...If we can find another player that can also create his own shot, ie Hayward or just any other player like that, I think IT has less pressure on himself, it's not easy for a 5'9 <200 lb guy taking a beating driving into the hoop with players 6'9"+ weighing over 240 lbs, he gave it his all

[footey]

My one fear is that he does not come back 100%, because he played on it too long after first hurting it. That would be a shame, and a waste.

Get better, IT. God bless.

[OldSchoolDude]

Injuries ended the carries of a lot of really good players, it happens.  For example, Rose never fully recovered from his injuries and is half the player he was.  Grant Hill was also half the player he was after the injury.   Both continued to play because they had enough other skills besides explosiveness and speed to stay in a rotation and even start.  Unfortunately if IT loses a step he's done.  Without his ability to blow by people and get to the rim, he'll just be a 3 and no D player. 

If you think the C's are going to max him out, out of loyalty for all he's done for us think again. Maybe try and remember how much Rondo love there was on the boards at one point.  Remember when we just had to max him.  Remember when there was all the talk of Rondo and Stevens having a meeting of the minds and it was all good.  Remember how a Rondo Smart back court could work, with Smart at SG.

Rondo was a year away from a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
IT is a year a way from  a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
But IT got us to the playoffs and won us a few games.
Well Rondo did too and he even ran the point for us to win the NBA title. 
IT played hurt in the playoffs and won us a game.
Rondo played a playoff game with one arm and got a triple double.
We drafted Smart #6 while rondo was injured, then when Rondo showed he could still play we traded him.
We are about draft Fultz #1 while IT is injured, the when IT shows he can play we probably will try to trade him.  If he's lost a step he'll probably end up walking at free agency and misses out on a whole bunch of money because his market value will crash without his speed.

[snively]

I don't think it will end up being that serious. Just wasn't worth tweaking with the team so clearly overmatched.

[CFAN38]

I honestly feel IT is an amazing player, his injury started in about March right? He is so tough and does it all carrying our team on his back...If we can find another player that can also create his own shot, ie Hayward or just any other player like that, I think IT has less pressure on himself, it's not easy for a 5'9 <200 lb guy taking a beating driving into the hoop with players 6'9"+ weighing over 240 lbs, he gave it his all

This is nothing against IT but I think as fans we need to honestly ask the following question.

Lets make a few assumptions

1. IT needs surgery and isn't able to play until Dec 1st
2. The Cs draft Fultz and he plays at least 25mpg in ITs absence
3. Yabu is left overseas
4. Rozier is sadly traded for a future 1st
5. Hayward is signed as a FA
6. KO,Zeller, JJ, Amir, Gerald, and Mickey are not resigned
7. Zizic is signed

Those are all very plausible assumptions. Aside from bringing in a few vet min players (maybe Amir comes back?) that leaves BS with a roster geared towards small ball with Hayward and Crowder likely starting at forwards.

If this group finds chemistry early IT's absence may not be felt. Playing around 25mpg I would suspect Fultz to put up similar numbers to J Harden as a Rookie (10ppg). In Hayward the team could add a 20+ppg scoring option and I expect Brown to be a near 10ppg player if around 25mpg.


Much like Smarts injury paved the way for IT to start IT's injury could mean the end of IT in Boston.   

Looking to the playoffs the Cs still wont have the fire power to take out the Cavs but will continue to be in the mix at the top of the east. Two to three years down the road if Fultz is a 20PPG lead guard and Brown takes the Jimmy Butler like growth curve we has fans are hoping for, Hayward will only be 30 and Horford will be 33 ( i suspect his game will game well) then this team will be in a great post Lebron position.

[CFAN38]

Injuries ended the carries of a lot of really good players, it happens.  For example, Rose never fully recovered from his injuries and is half the player he was.  Grant Hill was also half the player he was after the injury.   Both continued to play because they had enough other skills besides explosiveness and speed to stay in a rotation and even start.  Unfortunately if IT loses a step he's done.  Without his ability to blow by people and get to the rim, he'll just be a 3 and no D player. 

If you think the C's are going to max him out, out of loyalty for all he's done for us think again. Maybe try and remember how much Rondo love there was on the boards at one point.  Remember when we just had to max him.  Remember when there was all the talk of Rondo and Stevens having a meeting of the minds and it was all good.  Remember how a Rondo Smart back court could work, with Smart at SG.

Rondo was a year away from a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
IT is a year a way from  a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
But IT got us to the playoffs and won us a few games.
Well Rondo did too and he even ran the point for us to win the NBA title. 
IT played hurt in the playoffs and won us a game.
Rondo played a playoff game with one arm and got a triple double.
We drafted Smart #6 while rondo was injured, then when Rondo showed he could still play we traded him.
We are about draft Fultz #1 while IT is injured, the when IT shows he can play we probably will try to trade him.  If he's lost a step he'll probably end up walking at free agency and misses out on a whole bunch of money because his market value will crash without his speed.

The reading I have done from NFL player makes it sound like 100% recovery is typical. However I do think thiscould take some years off of him on the back end of his career.

[gift]

I tend to think it's not that serious or he wouldn't have been playing for as long as he did.

[gouki88]

Injuries ended the carries of a lot of really good players, it happens.  For example, Rose never fully recovered from his injuries and is half the player he was.  Grant Hill was also half the player he was after the injury.   Both continued to play because they had enough other skills besides explosiveness and speed to stay in a rotation and even start.  Unfortunately if IT loses a step he's done.  Without his ability to blow by people and get to the rim, he'll just be a 3 and no D player. 

If you think the C's are going to max him out, out of loyalty for all he's done for us think again. Maybe try and remember how much Rondo love there was on the boards at one point.  Remember when we just had to max him.  Remember when there was all the talk of Rondo and Stevens having a meeting of the minds and it was all good.  Remember how a Rondo Smart back court could work, with Smart at SG.

Rondo was a year away from a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
IT is a year a way from  a well deserved max deal and got hurt.
But IT got us to the playoffs and won us a few games.
Well Rondo did too and he even ran the point for us to win the NBA title. 
IT played hurt in the playoffs and won us a game.
Rondo played a playoff game with one arm and got a triple double.
We drafted Smart #6 while rondo was injured, then when Rondo showed he could still play we traded him.
We are about draft Fultz #1 while IT is injured, the when IT shows he can play we probably will try to trade him.  If he's lost a step he'll probably end up walking at free agency and misses out on a whole bunch of money because his market value will crash without his speed.

The reading I have done from NFL player makes it sound like 100% recovery is typical. However I do think thiscould take some years off of him on the back end of his career.

That's quite a significant thing to consider if we are considering maxing him (contract wise).