INDEPENDENCE, Ohio _ Cavaliers guard Isaiah Thomas is so encouraged by how the rehabilitation on his right hip is going that he believes he's still on track to earn a max contract after this season.
"My mindset is to get healthy and get 100 percent, and then when it comes to basketball, I know what I can bring. I don't think there's any more proving. ... Being on this platform and being able to compete for a championship is going to allow me to be a max player," Thomas said.
"Now, I'm as positive as I can be. I know I can play at an MVP-caliber level."
The Cavs announced they expect Thomas to be able to play in games by Jan. 1, with the Christmas Day showdown against the defending champion Golden State Warriors not out of the question.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Derrick Rose will be the starting point guard until Thomas returns. When the Cavs sent Kyrie Irving to Boston for two-time All-Star Thomas and a package of players and draft picks, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Thomas would not be ready to start the season after missing the final three games of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Cavs said Thomas has shown significant progress in the past three weeks after suffering what was reported as a torn labrum. He has been working on hip mobilization exercises and in the weight room, along with hydrotherapy and on-court shooting. Thomas has also been building strength through nutritional means.
"Physically I'm in a good place. I'm making progress every day. I'm getting stronger. These last three weeks, I've been able to be with this training staff six days a week," Thomas said.
"Since the end of May I haven't done anything, so the process now is getting that strength back and getting that muscle to fire again and it's firing again. It's about trying to get all the inflammation out of my hip and getting the strength back to where it was. Each day is better than the previous day. ... I'm able to get on the court and shooting and move around a little bit and it's really good progress."
With one year remaining on his contract, Thomas turns 29 on Feb. 7. He said his hip was fine until March 13 when the Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns fell on him. Thomas re-aggravated the injury when facing the Cavs in May.
