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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 27: Cam Thomas #24 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 27, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks surprised the NBA world by releasing Cam Thomas with just a couple of weeks left in the season. Thomas signed with the Bucks on February 9th and will see his time end less than two months into this tenure. Fans are surprised since it is extremely unlikely for a losing team to waive a player with only 12 games left in the season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the following about the news:
“The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving Cam Thomas just weeks after signing him, sources tell ESPN. Bucks GM Jon Horst sold Thomas as a key part of the team’s contention ability this season and the future after the team signed him post-trade deadline, while Doc Rivers compared Thomas to Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford after just two games. Now he’s waived.”
Milwaukee hyped Thomas up as a major part of the future after they added him right after the trade deadline. The Brooklyn Nets waived Thomas once they realized no teams would send a viable trade offer for him. Bucks personnel believed that Thomas could help the team for this season’s play-in push and hoped to make him part of the future heading into next season.
Why Bucks Initially Believed In Cam Thomas
Thomas has shown flashes of being a great scorer in the NBA to boost his reputation over the past few years. Multiple 40-point games for the Nets after they traded Kevin Durant made NBA fans believe he could be a key part of Brooklyn’s future due to his young age.
Last season saw Thomas averaging 24 points in 31 minutes of action as a starter, but the Nets didn’t believe in him enough to give him a strong contract offer as a free agent. Thomas eventually offered the qualifying offer, but Brooklyn waived him upon realizing they wanted to invest in other young talents.
Milwaukee hoped that having a flashy scorer would improve the roster and give Giannis Antetokounmpo some help. Thomas had a couple of strong games early to see Doc Rivers comparing him to all-time great sixth men Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams. The Bucks hoped that Thomas would be an elite scorer for a team lacking offensive assets.
Why Bucks Quit On Cam Thomas So Fast
The hot start didn’t last, and Thomas’ flaws started to hurt his standing in Milwaukee. Head coach Doc Rivers lost faith in Thomas due to his poor defense and inability to contribute much without holding the ball for iso plays.
Thomas only averaged 16 minutes over his 18 games with the Bucks to average 10.7 points per game. The Bucks believed in other guards like Ryan Rollins and AJ Green to make Thomas less impactful in the backcourt.
Rivers is an old school coach and likely lost faith in Thomas giving up baskets too easily. Milwaukee clearly lost confidence in Thomas being a long-term fit on this team, but it is shocking to waive someone at this point in the season with nothing to play for. Thomas must hope that another team is willing to give him a chance to extend his career as his value sinks to a new low point.