The Los Angeles Lakers have an ideal buyout target in early February, according to Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Ward.
Ward believes a former Brooklyn Nets star guard is an asset the Luka Doncic-led Lakers should consider adding to their roster.
“(Cam) Thomas spent his entire career with the Nets before getting waived after the trade deadline,” Ward wrote Friday. “He's a talented scorer, but has played in only 24 games this season and only 25 games last year in Brooklyn.”
“He came off the bench for the majority of the games he's played during the 2024-25 campaign (16), averaging 15.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 39.9% from the floor and 32.5% from beyond the arc.”
“The LSU product would be a solid addition to the bench as instant offense in the second unit. He'd likely be a rental for the rest of the season unless he proves to be a vital piece to the puzzle in Los Angeles as a sixth man.”
Thomas had an interesting run with the Nets. The 24-year-old wasn’t in a competitive environment toward the end of his tenure with Brooklyn, but still managed to shine as a confident, score-first guard.
Before Michael Porter Jr. arrived in Brooklyn this past offseason, Thomas was the Nets’ No. 1 scoring option. The well-known tough shot taker and maker averaged 24.0 points per game in Brooklyn last season, shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land.
With Porter Jr. quickly emerging as the Nets’ go-to playmaker, Thomas had no choice but to take a backseat to the former Denver Nuggets sharpshooter (hence why his production took a noticeable hit).
As Ward noted, it would be worth it for the Lakers to consider adding Thomas to the fold as a spark plug off the bench. Thomas' ability to make his presence felt on the offensive end from the get-go could prove to be valuable as the postseason inches closer.
One thing’s certain about the former five-star recruit; he’ll have plenty of suitors on the buyout market.
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