Following the news of last week’s blockbuster trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, the Cleveland faithful were excitedly welcoming All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas to his new home. Shortly after, however, reports of a concerning physical and lingering hip injury made Thomas’ future far less clear.

On Tuesday, Thomas broke his silence when he spoke with ESPN regarding his hip injury, and while he is confident he will be the same player once he recovers, it is still unknown what the timetable for his recovery actually is.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that Thomas may not be seen on an NBA court for some time and could potentially miss most of the 2017-18 season:

“If recovery from various hip ailments, including a bone bruise, does not proceed smoothly, there is at least a slight chance Thomas would miss most of the 2017-18 season, sources say.”

If Thomas is to miss a majority of next season, it would certainly cause reservations for the Cavaliers. Ideally, Thomas would not only be a crucial piece in Cleveland’s quest for another NBA championship, but also as a bid to convince LeBron James to re-sign with the Cavaliers past this upcoming season. That would all change if the two were not able to build chemistry and win together this season.

While Lowe assures his readers that the chances of Thomas missing a large portion of next season is slight, it seems clear that the start of his 2017-18 campaign is in jeopardy.

