Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas
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Brooklyn’s rebuild is forcing tough decisions. Cam Thomas sits at the center of it with scoring upside, contract risk, and a trade market that hasn’t formed yet.
Free agent guard Cam Thomas was surprisingly waived by the Brooklyn Nets after the trade deadline ended and no trade offers made sense for the franchise. Thomas has been considered one of the better names on the buyout market as a young 24-year-old with strong scoring ability. Multiple teams have been interested, but Thomas ultimately chose one team that impressed him most.
The Milwaukee Bucks signed Thomas today for the rest of the season to boost their roster. Milwaukee has struggled to make much noise this season due to superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo being injured and missing many games. However, even the healthy roster sees little chance of achieving any real playoff success this season.
Thomas fell out of favor in Brooklyn since they are developing talent for the future and his game is best with iso plays scoring at the expense of others. The inability to play good defense or help his teammates earned Thomas a negative label around the league as a ball hog. No other teams offered deals during last summer’s free agency, and he remained with the Nets in a partnership that grew worse as the regular season started.
Why Milwaukee Bucks Want Cam Thomas
The goal for Milwaukee this season is relatively unknown since they can play it either way. Some reports indicate that the Bucks hope to rest Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season and try to get the best possible draft pick. In this scenario, either the pick helps convince Giannis to remain with the team or they trade him to completely rebuild in the offseason.
Another option is to compete this season and try to make the postseason, especially Giannis if returns. Thomas is likely here for the latter since Milwaukee badly needs another scorer for the team to win more games to jump ahead of teams like the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks in the play-in race.
The Bucks also get to take the chance on a young guard capable of averaging 25 points per game to see how he fits into their team. Thomas will get enough playing time to show his value and has the chance to convince Milwaukee to extend his contract beyond next season to find a long-term NBA home.
Cam Thomas May Have Best-Case Scenario
Rumors suggest that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were the two other main teams interested in Thomas. Cleveland even had discussion with the Nets at the deadline about swapping Lonzo Ball for Thomas before both were moved.
Thomas ended up with his best choice of the three options. Cleveland is contending for a title and already has three trusted veteran guards better than him in the rotation. Golden State has shown that Steve Kerr benches young players who don’t play team basketball.
Milwaukee is the one place where Thomas will be given the green light to score and help lead the offense. A limited roster, especially without Giannis, will need Thomas to score in the 20-point range. Antetokounmpo returning and developing chemistry with Thomas could change his career for the best.