Former Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas hasn't publicly addressed the trade that sent him to the Cleveland Cavaliers yet.
But Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas says that he has spoken to IT, and says the deal has been "a punch in the gut" for the two-time All-Star.
"He said he gave his heart and soul to the Celtics," Isiah Thomas told Cleveland.com. "He gave them everything. It's a business and we all understand that it's a business, but to have it happen in such a way for him. I think it really hurt him. I think it's going to be difficult for him to trust again, to give that trust, that loyalty, that love to another organization.
"And I definitely think the Cavs are going to have to do some relationship mending to get him back to the point where he loves being where he's at. Because he's a small guy and the thing that gets him over is his love and his passion. And if those things are kind of missing a little bit, it's going to be hard."
Thomas was traded by the Celtics along with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Nets' 2018 first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving.