LEAGUES News
Isaiah: Cavs were in 'panic mode' when they traded me
Despite the Cleveland Cavaliers' struggles, Isaiah Thomas didn't expect the team to give up on him as quickly as they did.
He'd only suited up in 15 contests for the team when they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline.
"I didn't think they would pull the trigger that fast, 15 games," Thomas told ESPN.
"But, again, it's a business. And the Cavs were, I mean, they were in panic mode. We were losing - a lot. And I think they felt like they needed to make a move, and they, they basically cleared house."
Related: Frye says Cavs weren't built to sacrifice for each other
Cleveland entered the season with eight new faces and between injuries, lineup instability, and in-fighting, the Cavaliers couldn't quite replicate the success they had over the past few years. With their Finals streak in jeopardy - they lost 14 of 21 games and were closer to falling out of the playoff picture than to first place - general manager Koby Altman knew he had to make a change, so he cleaned house.
| OUT | IN |
|---|---|
| Isaiah Thomas | Jordan Clarkson |
| Channing Frye | Larry Nance Jr. |
| Derrick Rose | George Hill |
| Iman Shumpert | Rodney Hood |
| Jae Crowder | |
| Dwyane Wade |
The Cavs, who acquired Thomas in the Kyrie Irving blockbuster, chalked up the two-time All-Star's tenure with them as a mistake that was characterized by injury - he missed the first 36 games due to a hip issue suffered in the playoffs last year with the Boston Celtics - disappointing production, and scathing soundbites.
"It was a tough situation I was being put in," Thomas said. "It was - it was different. ... It's hard to get acclimated to a team halfway through the season.
"... I'm in a new system. New team, new coach, new players. And then I've been off for seven months. So I gotta get - individually, I gotta for the most part get my rhythm back, get my timing back."
That said, Thomas insists he's not bitter toward his former club, and is optimistic about his future with the Lakers. The 28-year-old point guard is bound for unrestricted free agency this summer, and has made clear for years his quest for a big payday. He said he wants to prove himself over the final stretch of the campaign in hopes of sticking in L.A. long term.
The former top-five MVP candidate is averaging 13.2 points on 39.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from long range to go along with 4.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 21.8 minutes over five games with the Lakers. Cleveland is 4-1 without Thomas.
