New York Knicks: Lance Thomas takes pride in tenure with team

At Brooklyn Nets Media Day, the former longest-tenured member of the New York Knicks, Lance Thomas, looked back on his time with the organization.

With Friday’s interesting Media Day, the Brooklyn Nets officially welcomed Lance Thomas to the team. He moved boroughs after spending the past four-plus seasons with the New York Knicks and played through 2018-19 as the organization’s longest-tenured player; Frank Ntilikina now holds that title, even at 21 years old and just two full seasons into the NBA.

The Knicks let Thomas walk in free agency after declining to guarantee his full 2019-20 contract, which did not come as a surprise, given the free-agency outlook of approximately $70 million in cap space.

Thomas recalled his time with the Knicks at Nets Media Day, speaking positively on the team he once joined via trade in 2015, per the New York Daily News. The 31-year-old said playing for the Knicks “was a dream come true for me” since he and his family’s life-long passion for the organization, including wearing the orange and blue as a kid. However, there was one regret:

"“Just being a local kid. Every time I wore it, I wore it with pride. And as somebody who might not be from the area, they wouldn’t understand how it felt every single day what it was like to wear that uniform. So I think one of my biggest regrets was not winning anything of substance in a Knicks uniform.”"

Thomas was never on a winning team with the Knicks, as they failed to make the playoffs in each season he played for them. Two of the groups finished at 17-65 (2014-15 and 2018-19), which marked the worst record in franchise history. No team won more than 32 games, either. He also played under Derek Fisher, Kurt Rambis, Jeff Hornacek and David Fizdale in that time, so the Duke product saw plenty in a short time.

However, Thomas wanted to continue his time at Madison Square Garden, he hoped the Knicks brought him back, but that obviously did not happen.

"“It was always something where I was hoping (returning to the Knicks) would happen. I was there for five years. It didn’t. This is a business,” he said. “I think nothing but the world of those guys — Steve Mills, Scott Perry, Mr. Dolan. Definitely want to thank them for the opportunity I had to represent the New York Knicks."

The Knicks filled all 15 spots with guaranteed contracts. The fallout of Reggie Bullock‘s first contractual agreement due to injury had opened the door for another player’s arrival, but he and the team reworked the deal later in July to complete the NBA’s allotted roster space.

Instead, Thomas joins ex-Knicks DeAndre Jordan and Henry Ellenson in Brooklyn, where they can contribute towards the franchise’s second consecutive playoff appearance. With a healthy Kyrie Irving leading and a hurt Kevin Durant waiting to return, this group offers Thomas a chance at winning sooner than later and more often than with New York.

The former captain played through plenty with the Knicks, though, sticking with the team in some of their most disparaging years. He, in 2018-19, averaged 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 46 games.