Well, maybe not quite that guy, at least not right away. Thomas might be rusty from the time off; he definitely will be on a tight minutes restriction for at least a little while. Barring the first major injury of LeBron’s career, the Cavs could moonwalk to homecourt advantage in the first round entirely without Thomas, which means they’ll likely do everything they can to safeguard his health for the playoffs. There are other caveats, which you already know about. He’s still tiny, he’s a year older, he’s on a new team, and he’ll have to figure out how to make his game fit with LeBron’s. It’ll be weird at first, and possibly for a bit longer than that.

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But still. I’m pumped!!! Probably because this season has been pretty butt so far and I’m grasping for any reason to look forward to the inevitable-seeming Cavs-Warriors re-re-re-rematch in the Finals, and to imagine that the outcome of that Finals series is not also inevitable!!!! But still!!!!!!!!!!