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Robb: Isaiah Thomas Could Be Valuable Recruiting Tool For Celtics

BOSTON – Danny Ainge knows he has his work cut out for him as he attempts to attract top-notch free agents to the Celtics in the months ahead. Boston has never been known as a premier destination for NBA stars, showcased by the team's inability to woo a top player to town in recent decades.

In order to turn the tide on that front, it appears Ainge may look for some recruiting assistance from one of his new additions, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

Point guard Isaiah Thomas told Himmelsbach that he has let Ainge know he is willing to recruit for Boston, a team he is under contract with for the next three seasons. Ainge seems willing to explore this possibility, as he's reportedly already asked for Thomas' input on potential free-agent targets that could be a fit.

"Danny said if there's any free agent out there I'm interested in, to let him know," Thomas told Himmelsbach. "That has me excited. For him to ask for my input means a lot, because it means I'm definitely, right now, a part of the future, and they also value your word and what you think about the game of basketball. It means a lot, and it's a mutual respect we have. Now, hopefully, we can get a few guys."

Competition will be fierce on the open market this summer, especially with a skyrocketing salary cap waiting for teams in the 2016-17 season. Nearly every NBA franchise is going to be flush with plenty of salary-cap room at that point, so money may not be the sole deciding factor for free agents. Instead, it will fall on teams to coax players to sign with them with other methods, and recruitment from up-and-coming talent like Thomas can only help the cause.

Ainge has turned to his top talent in the Big Three era for counsel as well. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett recommended current Atlanta Hawks small forward DeMarre Carroll to the C's a couple years back, but Ainge was unable to strike a deal at the time.

This time around, Thomas appears to have earned the same kind of advisement cache with Ainge during his brief stint with the team. Now, it's up to the president of basketball operations to see if he can make use of Thomas' help during his first time with significant salary-cap room during his tenure.

Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.

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