Los Angeles Lakers: Updated best fits for Isaiah Thomas this summer
By Jason Reed
![NEW YORK, NY - MAY 14: Isaiah Thomas onstage at The 22nd Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for The Webby Awards) NEW YORK, NY - MAY 14: Isaiah Thomas onstage at The 22nd Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 14, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for The Webby Awards)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/8f14e86ae06ad78871d8237af5093191c7ee60d6fdc165ba55a42221600e7f52.jpg)
1. New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are the only repeat team on our updated fits for Isaiah Thomas as New Orleans provides the best opportunity for Thomas and his playing style.
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While a great playoff performance from Jrue Holiday may slow down any talks of the Pelicans getting backcourt help, the team obviously still needs help creating space and separation on the floor. The team has everything they could want out of Anthony Davis, now they need to add the proper pieces around him.
In today’s NBA, you need catch and shoot specialists and players that can allow the offense to space out the floor. While feeding Anthony Davis the ball consistently is definitely a recipe for success, he needs the required pieces around him to really take that next step as a team.
With potential cap space, if the team does not re-sign DeMarcus Cousins, Thomas could get a potential one or two year deal worth the kind of money he thinks he deserves.
If the Pelicans are set on re-signing Cousins, they could use his Bird Rights and Thomas wouldn’t receive as much money. However, Cousins likely won’t get a max deal coming off an Achilles injury.
Davis, Cousins, Holiday and Thomas is a title contending team, no matter what roles the four men play. Whether Thomas or Holiday has to come off the bench, the Pelicans would have four potential all-stars to compete for a title.
If the team gets the Isaiah Thomas of old and playoff Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans can easily beat the Warriors with their size and ability to stretch the court.
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And even if they get 75 percent of those versions, they still would be a top-three seed in the Western Conference and would be a legit threat to Golden State. New Orleans needs to take risks to keep Davis happy long-term. This risk may be necessary.