Is time running out on a potential Isaiah Thomas NBA return?

Across 14 games, he has posted eight 30-point outings, averaging 29.1 points, 5.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He shoots an efficient 41 percent from beyond the arc.  

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Thomas. Last season, after averaging 32.5 points over four games in the G League, he earned a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. However, he saw little playing time, averaging just 1.6 points across six appearances, and was left without a permanent role by season’s end.  

As the NBA regular season winds down, struggling teams begin shutting down their stars and shifting focus to next year’s roster. In March alone, 23 G League players earned call-ups, according to the NBA G League Transaction Portal, including veterans like Kevin Knox II, Cole Swider, Elfrid Payton, Mo Bamba and Skal Labissiere — each returning to the league after time away. Yet, Thomas remains on the outside looking in.

The biggest obstacle isn’t his scoring ability — he has always been an offensive sparkplug. Instead, it combines his age, defensive limitations and the NBA’s increasing emphasis on youth development. Front offices are more inclined to invest in younger prospects rather than offer short-term opportunities to undersized veterans with defensive concerns.  

Thomas refuses to give up. He continues to dominate in the G League, hoping his production will earn him another NBA shot. As time passes and teams solidify their rosters for the playoffs, the dream of an NBA return may slip further out of reach.