DETROIT -- Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas participated in full-court five-on-zero offensive drills Sunday, marking the first time he has practiced with his teammates in that manner since he was acquired from the Boston Celtics in a trade involving Kyrie Irving in August.
Thomas, who is still recovering from a torn labrum in his right hip, told Cleveland.com that Sunday was the "hardest I've run" during the rehabilitation process and he "felt good for the most part" afterward.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Thomas could have done more Sunday, but the court at Cass Technical High School in Detroit where the team practiced was too slick, and they did not want to risk it.
The official timeline on Thomas' return has the two-time All-Star back in the Cavs lineup by January. While the team says Thomas has not experienced any setbacks, it has not updated that timeline.
Which means that despite the positive development, Thomas won't be making a surprise appearance Monday when the Cavs play the Detroit Pistons.
Cleveland (9-7) could use him, facing a Detroit team (10-5) with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference without two of its point guards, Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert. Rose, who has missed the past five games and nine games total this season because of a sprained left ankle, is in a walking boot and expected to miss at least the next two weeks. Shumpert, who sat out the second half of the Cavs' win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday after starting at the point, was diagnosed with a left knee effusion after receiving an MRI on Saturday and will be sidelined five to seven days.
Lue said the Cavs will turn to little-used veteran Jose Calderon to start at point guard.
"We knew at some point we were going to need him," Lue said. "He's a great veteran to have. He gives us steady minutes, and once he gets a feel and gets comfortable out there, I think he'll be great."
Calderon had zero points on 0-for-2 shooting, 1 assist, 1 turnover and 3 fouls in 11 minutes against the Clippers. The 36-year-old had a plus/minus of minus-4 in the time he played.
"I just got in there, and you just can't go and shoot every time. That's not the way that's going to help the team," Calderon said. "What I tried to do was, just try to organize them, give them good shots. Try to be active on defense with a steal or a charge. Try to get them like some movement, some energy. After the shots or whatever is going to come, I feel pretty comfortable playing with these guys."
The 13-year veteran, signed in the offseason on a one-year veterans minimum contract, is averaging 1.0 points and 0.7 assists in 6.7 minutes in seven spot appearances this season.
Lue said his goal for Calderon is to "just be who he is."
"Shoot the basketball, run pick-and-roll, be confident, just play his game," Lue said. "Offensively we know he can shoot the basketball, so we want him to shoot the ball. But defensively he understands what's going on. He's going to be in the right spots and take charges, going to take the challenge."