Isaiah Thomas: Could be back before January

Much has been made of Thomas’ hip injury since it nearly derailed his trade to
the Cavs, but after three weeks of rehabbing in Cleveland, the team’s medical
staff is apparently optimistic about the point guard’s progress. The Cavs
indicated Monday that Thomas, who has started on-court activities could be back
on the floor before the end of the calendar year, and if that’s the case, it
would mean he’d miss somewhere around 30-35 games. “Each day is progression, and
it’s moved positively,” Thomas said, noting that he can run, slide, and
backpedal without pain. With Thomas presumably out for roughly the first two
months of the season, fellow new addition Derrick Rose figures to see increased
minutes, with LeBron James likely spending considerable time operating as the
Cavs’ de facto point guard.