Brad Stevens: Isaiah Thomas probably won't need surgery

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CHRIS FORSBERG via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
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July 3, 2017, 8:25 PM ET
3 min read

— -- SALT LAKE CITY -- Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said all indications are that All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas will not require surgery on the injured hip that ended Thomas' season in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics shut down Thomas at halftime of Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in late May after he aggravated a hip ailment that had lingered since late in the regular season.

While the team is waiting for a new batch of imaging tests to confirm that no surgery is necessary, Stevens offered an encouraging outlook after spending part of Sunday with Thomas when the Celtics pitched free agent Gordon Hayward in Boston.

"[Thomas] was great," said Stevens. "We didn't run around at all. He's got a follow-up with his doctor that he's been working closely with either next week or 10 days out from now and then [they will] determine next step. But every indication is he feels good and he'll be ready to go."

Added Stevens: "Everybody that I have talked to said it looked unlikely that they would need to [perform surgery]. But I don't want to speak in absolutes. I'm not a doctor, just a coach."

Thomas, who led the Eastern Conference in scoring last season, finished fifth in MVP voting and landed on the All-NBA second team. Thomas is entering the final year of his contract and will likely be seeking a max contract next summer. Boston has ample cap space this summer and could explore an extension, but Thomas has implored Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge to pursue more talent on the free-agent market.

Like the rest of the NBA, the Celtics were waiting to hear about Hayward's future on Monday night. Hayward wrapped up three days of visits by meeting with the Utah Jazz in San Diego on Monday.

After pitching Hayward on Sunday in Boston, Stevens and team brass traveled to Salt Lake City on Sunday night to watch the Celtics' younger players in action at the Utah Jazz Summer League.

Talking before Boston's game against the Philadelphia 76ers on the University of Utah campus, Stevens apologized to reporters for being unable to comment on Hayward's visit during the NBA's moratorium. Stevens closed his five-minute session with reporters by deadpanning, "Sorry I missed everybody's main question."