Cleveland Cavaliers expect Isaiah Thomas (hip) to play by January

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced Monday that newly acquired point guard Isaiah Thomas is expected to return from his hip injury in January.

Thomas was acquired last month from the Boston Celtics in a trade for Kyrie Irving. Thomas suffered a torn labrum in his right hip last season that caused him to sit out the last three games of the Celtics' loss to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

"Isaiah Thomas has successfully continued with the rehabilitation process related to his right hip impingement," the Cavaliers said in a statement. "Based on his progress thus far, and after several weeks of evaluation and monitoring with the Cavaliers medical team and Cleveland Clinic Sports Health, the team and Thomas are hopeful he will be in position to return by January. His status will be updated again, along with any further timeline adjustments, after the start of the regular season."

Questions following Thomas' physical examination and his recovery from a postseason hip injury served as a significant hiccup to completing the deal with the Celtics.

Boston ultimately agreed to send Cleveland an additional second-round draft pick.

The 28-year-old Thomas averaged 28.9 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 76 regular-season games for the Celtics last season.