As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Thomas signed a deal with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League on Monday, continuing his quest to rejoin the NBA. The Salt Lake City Stars are the G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz.
Thomas, selected 60th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, quickly made a name for himself early in his career. In his first three seasons with Sacramento, he averaged 15.3 points and 4.8 assists per game, proving he shouldn’t have been picked last in that draft.
After his time with the Kings, Thomas was traded to the Phoenix Suns for one season before moving to the Boston Celtics. His time in Boston proved to be the highlight of his career, where he averaged 24.7 points and 6.0 assists per game, earning All-Star honors in both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
However, after Boston, Thomas has struggled to find success, playing for nine different teams, including the Suns last season. At 35 years old, he played just six games for Phoenix on two separate 10-day contracts, but they chose not to sign him for a full deal.
During his six appearances with the Suns, Thomas recorded eight points and three assists in 19 total minutes. Afterward, he joined the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League and performed well.
The two-time All-Star thrived in the G League last season, averaging 32.5 points per game while shooting 44.6% from three-point range. Despite his impressive G League performance, NBA interest has been scarce, but Thomas remains determined in his comeback efforts.
It only takes one team facing a backcourt injury crisis for the 35-year-old to get another shot at the NBA, but with so much talent available both in free agency and the G League, his return is uncertain. Nonetheless, he’s not giving up on his dream of an NBA comeback.
