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July 1 (UPI) -- Isaiah Thomas has yet to find a team for next season, but he is happy with the changing landscape of the NBA. Thomas told UPI he is motivated for the 2019-2020 season. That level of motivation is no different than it always has been for the 5-foot-9 point guard.
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"I'm always motivated," Thomas said. "There aren't particular things that motivate me more. I've always had a chip on my shoulder. I always put my head down and continue to work no matter what the situation may be. I will continue to do that."
Thomas, 30, has dealt with nagging hip injuries for the past few seasons. The two-time All-Star averaged a career-high 28.9 points per game during his 2016-2017 campaign. He has played for three different teams since that season, his final year with the Boston Celtics.
He averaged 15.2 points per game two seasons ago, splitting the season between the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Thomas posted a career-low 8.1 points per game last season for the Denver Nuggets.
While durability concerns have been a topic among critics, Thomas says he has not thought about walking away from the game.
When the phone rings and his new destination is revealed, Thomas said he's ready to get to work for whatever situation is put in front of him. The latest rumblings link Thomas to the Washington Wizards.
A move to Washington, D.C., would mean Thomas has played for seven franchises since being selected in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.
On Sunday, Thomas took the court and was his competitive self at HoopFest, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Spokane, Wash. Thomas battled a local athlete in H-O-R-S-E. He said he was "locked in" for the matchup. Thomas frequently battles strangers during the off-season at random gyms. He said it's something he does to stay "as normal as possible." Normal isn't a word most fans would use to associate with the result of the 2018-2019 NBA season or summer off-season. The preseason favorite Golden State Warriors lost the NBA Finals after being upset by the Toronto Raptors. The Warriors went on to lose star Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets. Former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving is teaming up with Durant in Brooklyn next season. Those developments put a smile on Thomas' face."I'm happy to see the NBA go back to how it should be," Thomas said. "More competitive and not just a few teams going to the Finals every year. It's going to be interesting this free agency and this upcoming season with a lot of changes and different players going to different teams, but it should be fun like it always is."
Durant and Irving are just a few of the stars switching shirts next season. Irving raised questions about his fit as a teammate after the Celtics failed to live up to expectations last season. Critics have also questioned if free agents are hesitant to play with superstar LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Thomas - - a former James teammate - - said not all players "fit" each other, but the greatest players figure out a way to make their games adapt.
"At the end of the day, if you have one goal in mind, and that's to win a championship, you'll somehow figure it out and try to make it work. ... I think its tough tough to play with guys you've never played with before, but at the same time it's basketball."
