Isaiah Thomas insisted Tuesday that he would return to fitness from a hip injury as concern over his condition threatened to stall his move from the Boston Celtics to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thomas is poised to join Cleveland with several teammates in a blockbuster trade that saw Cavs star Kyrie Irving head to Boston.
However, final confirmation of the trade has been delayed amid ongoing questions surrounding Thomas’ injury, which forced him to miss the end of the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Thomas told ESPN on Tuesday that there was no question he would come back from his injury.
“I am not damaged,” Thomas said. “I’ll be back, and I’ll be the same player.”
Thomas insisted that medical professionals had assured him he would recover his fitness.
“There’s never been an indication that I wouldn’t be back, and there’s never been an indication that this is something messing up my career,” Thomas told ESPN.
“Maybe I am not going to be back as soon this season as everyone wants me to be, but I’m going to be back, and I’m going to be the same player again. No doctor has told me anything different than that.”
Thomas said he had remained in touch with Cleveland since a physical on Friday but was in the dark about the team’s plans.
“I don’t know what [the organization] is doing,” Thomas told ESPN. “It’s out of my control. I just want to talk about what I can control, and I know that this (hip) won’t be a problem into the future.” – Agence France-Presse
