The Celtics Finally Gave Isaiah Thomas His Touching Tribute Video, But That Didn't Stop Him From Saying They'd Have Won A Title If Not For Trading Him

The Celtics played the perfect tribute video for Isaiah Thomas.pic.twitter.com/c18k6kgaMk

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 18, 2019

There's no doubt about it. Watching Isaiah Thomas relive his heroics in transcending tragedy to help will a young and incomplete Celtics' team to the Conference Finals before feeling every ounce of love from the loud and proud Boston faithful was a very cool moment. You could also argue that's true literally, as - thanks to Paul Pierce's ego - that heartwarming video was tabled and just sat around waiting to be served after being fully prepared well over a year ago. That, however, is besides the point, which is that 'The King In The Fourth' reigned short but unforgettably supreme during his time as a Celtic and deserved to be honored, no matter how belated, for such.

"We would've probably won a championship already."

–@isaiahthomas talking about what could've been if he stayed in Boston pic.twitter.com/sTJObe5uWw

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 19, 2019

Now, as far as his proclamation that TD Bank Garden would have already hung another banner if not for the coldblooded business decision that sent his career into a tailspin of sorts, that's not even worthy of a discussion. If anything, all that has unfolded since Danny Ainge shipped a fan favorite out of Boston has vindicated him in his decision to do so. Isaiah Thomas has become an oft-injured journeyman who even has trouble cracking the rotation when actually healthy. No matter how much Kyrie Irving's incessant bitching and moaning weighs on his teammates, something tells me the guy that's played only 42 games in a limited capacity since being flipped for him wasn't the missing piece necessary to topple either LeBron James or the Golden State Warriors.

​That being said, I'm totally fine with him telling himself such. With the amount of money Isaiah Thomas cost himself in battling through a bad hip and a broken heart to pick up playoff wins for an organization that ultimately thanked him by sending him to go perform in the circus that was last year's Cleveland Cavaliers, I actually encourage him to tell himself as many lies as is necessary to keep him sane. We're talking about a guy whose league-wide and cliff-sized fall from grace came when he was basically an outstretched finger-tip away from securing lifelong financial security. If convincing himself that he'd be a champion if not for the trade that altered the trajectory of his career to something that looked a lot like a Malaysian Airlines flightpath is what helps him sleep at night then I honestly think Boston Celtics' fans should help crowdsource him a replica Larry O'Brien trophy. He did almost everything right only for almost everything to go all wrong, so if his side of the story is that the team that moved him indirectly traded away a title then we should all respectfully sit around quietly and listen with open ears and open hearts. Even if it is a tall tale.