The Cavs need to trade Isaiah Thomas. Now.
It has been a rough season for Cleveland Cavaliers fans. While the team is currently 30-20 and sitting at third place in the Eastern Conference, the magic from the last few seasons doesn’t seem to be there anymore.
Many are considering the idea that they might not make the Finals this season, resulting in another LeBron James departure from the Land in this summer’s free agency.
Because of this panic, fans and sportswriters expect the Cavs to make a big move before the trade deadline. They may trade a bench player or two, or even the first-round draft pick they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets. But I believe a move that would work out is trading away the star they received in the Kyrie Irving deal: Isaiah Thomas.
Despite the wonderful season Thomas had last year, this season has been nothing short of a nightmare for him. After missing the first few months because of an injury, his return to basketball has not worked out for the Cavs. Although he is well known to be a terrible defensive player due to his short height, it has been especially worse for his new team. Analytics have shown it to be possibly one of the worst defensive seasons a player has ever had in the NBA.
Even Thomas’ offense, which is what made him a star in previous years, is underwhelming. His shooting percentage over the course of his career is 44 percent, yet this year he is only making 36 percent of his shots. The numbers get even worse from the three-point line, where he is shooting well below his career average 36 percent at only 25 percent.
His win shares rating — a statistic that measures how many more games a team wins with a player on the court — is so bad that it is currently in the negative. In other words, he is costing the team games, instead of helping the Cavs win. It also does not help that rumors of a dispute with teammate Kevin Love have recently made headlines.
This is why he should be on the trade block when teams look to do deals with the Cavs this week. This is not meant to be a slight against Isaiah Thomas as a person. In his short time in Cleveland, he has not represented the team or the city in a negative light. But while here, he has not been a good fit with the team as a starting point guard. If the team could include him in a package in exchange for a solid player, they would be just fine starting Jose Calderon instead.
The Golden State Warriors, the well-known rivals of the Cavaliers, are looking stronger than ever. The Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics have also looked intimidating this season. If the Cavaliers want one more chance to win a title before LeBron leaves the team or gets too old to carry it, they need to make a move quickly.
Drew Taylor is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].