In the past month, Mike Hopkins’ Huskies have tumbled down the Pac-12 standings and watched their NCAA tournament hopes dwindle alongside. It wasn’t long before the Huskies’ current slide that Isaiah Thomas reached pariah-like status in Cleveland. Seven seasons removed from being hoisted onto teammates’ shoulders after toppling Arizona in the Pac-10 tournament and less than 10 months since writing himself into Boston sports lore and the MVP conversation, Thomas was dealt to the Lakers — his fifth NBA team — relegated again to a sixth man.
He was originally scheduled to make his formal return to Alaska Airlines Arena on Thursday, but his trade scuttled those plans.