CELTS TRADE FOR POINT GUARD THOMAS
The Boston Celtics acquired point guard Isaiah Thomas from the Phoenix Suns for combo guard Marcus Thornton and a first-round draft pick in 2016 (via Cleveland).
What does it give the Boston Celtics
This one is hard to figure. The Celtics already have a future star at point guard in rookie Marcus Smart, plus a somewhat-promising young backup in Phil Pressey. While Thomas is a proven scorer and playmaker, he's well undersized--much like starting shooting guard Avery Bradley--so it's hard to see how this makes sense for the Celtics now or in the long run (especially since Thomas has three more years on his contract). Add in the lost first-rounder and this is a hard deal for Celtics fans to like.
What does it give the Phoenix Suns
The playoff-hopeful Suns continue their mini-overhaul here, sending Thomas' salary out (along with Goran Dragic and others). Their new-look backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight is as promising as ever, and Thornton can replace some of the bench scoring Thomas provided. Moreover, Thornton's relatively hefty salary comes off the books after this season, so the Suns create some financial flexibility for the off-season. They also get a first-round pick in 2016, which is a steal all things considered.
Fantasy impact
The overall fantasy impact in this deal is somewhat negative, in that Thomas' arrival in Beantown saps Smart and others (such as Evan Turner) of fantasy value. That said, it's not clear that Thomas will himself see an increase in shots or minutes. On the Phoenix side there's a chance Thornton might see a bump up in value, but he'll likely need to play more point guard than usual (backing up fellow newcomer Brandon Knight) to do so.
Player focus
Boston Celtics
Isiah Thomas G
