Oddly enough, Lance Thomas was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the New York Knicks back in 2015 seemingly as a filler piece in a three-team trade involving Dion Waiters, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. He was a player that ended that season on a 10-day contract. Just a little over two years later and the New York native signed a four-year, $27.5 million deal with the Knicks, a team he grew up loving.
Thomas is known as a ‘three-and-D’ forward who has been a career backup and provided solid minutes for the Knicks over the last two years, primarily behind Carmelo Anthony. With Anthony being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past week, the Knicks leadership expectations turn to Lance Thomas as the teams head into a rebuild. But the current longest tenured Knick found it difficult to see Anthony depart from the team.
Lance Thomas wrote a touching piece in ‘The Players’ Tribune’.
“We both have Brooklyn roots, so you were always on my radar. When I was a freshman in high school, I rocked braids just like yours. I watched you completely dominate the NCAA tournament for the ’Cuse. You were so skilled, so dominant. But what impressed me even more was the style you had to your game. It was one of a kind. You played with this joy and confidence, just killing guys with a smile on your face. It made me dream about playing on the same team as you one day, as outlandish as that seemed back then.
…
This is all my way of simply saying: Thank you, Melo.
Thank you for being the face of our franchise, and for bringing that New York swag back to the Garden.
Thank you for helping me through tough times and giving so much of yourself as a teammate in ways that nobody will ever know about.
And finally, thank you for being a role model to so many young players who, like me, dreamed of being like you.”
Thomas revealed that he was emotional following the trade, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Thomas talked about how he felt after finding out the news of the trade and also his process of writing the piece for ‘The Players’ Tribune’.
“I was hurt when he left,” Thomas said Thursday. “Not only not having him as a teammate, but not having him here as one of my best friends.
“Once I heard it was happening on Saturday, I instantly started going through the notes on my phone and I just started putting [the letter] together. But that’s how I felt. And I’m still a little emotional about it.”
Thomas said he didn’t write the letter to show Anthony detractors that he’s a better teammate and leader for which he is given credit. Thomas said he just wanted to express what he was feeling at that moment. He said he spoke to Anthony, who appreciated his words.
“He was really happy that I wrote it,” Thomas said. “It was an emotional conversation. I wished him the best, he wished me the best and we’re going to continue to follow each other throughout our careers.”
