In a bid to rebuild his career after a nightmare year, Isaiah Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets this summer. The veteran will earn just $2.3 million and play as a back up to Jamal Murray. But with a lack of offers on the table for the point guard, he saw this as his best opportunity for next season. The move reunites Thomas with his former head coach Mike Malone, who he worked with at the Sacramento Kings earlier in his career.Malone knows the 29-year-old's game and that familiarity could make it a good fit for both parties. He will have a chance to lead the second unit and provide a scoring spark off the bench. 

Eyeing the playoffs 

Denver has one of the most talented squads in the Western Conference and they're hoping to end a five-year playoff drought.

Thomas has guaranteed that they will finally reclaim a place among the top eight next year. 

"It's a long season of 82 games—plus the playoffs, which we will be making this year," Thomas said, according to the Nuggets' official Twitter.

The Nuggets agonisingly missed out on the postseason last year on the final day of the campaign.

They lost in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a winner-takes-all scenario.

But with a core group featuring the talented Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, Gary Harris and Murray, they'll be a real threat again. 

Getting buckets 

Having a legitimate scorer off the bench in Isaiah, their reserves will be much improved this year. 

As a two-time All-Star, IT deserves to be a starter but after coming off hip surgery and a horrible 12 months, he's prepared to make a sacrifice to get back to his best level. 

“I’m here to help. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m here to win,” he said. 

Upon signing with Denver, he admitted that he's determined to show the world that he's healthy again.

The All-NBA guard played just 32 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers last season. 

"First off, show the world I'm healthy," he told Nuggets.com. "That's probably the biggest thing.

"What I've done in this league is self-explanatory. I don't have to prove to anybody who I am anymore.

"I don't have to prove to anybody what I bring to the table. I think they know. I'm a winner."

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