There’s been a lot of rumors about other teams’ interest in Michael Porter Jr. (latest reportedly from Milwaukee) and Nic Claxton (as always from the Lakers) and even Day’Ron Sharpe (at least historically
from Boston), but nothing about Cam Thomas.
Thomas famously exercised his qualifying offer back in the summer and less famously switched agents in the fall, for the second time in a year. He’s now with Wasserman Group, one of the league’s high-power firms. It would seem the two are linked, that Thomas is interested in moving on. The Nets are willing to help, it’s been said, but Thomas seems stuck as much now as he was in the summer. Maybe more. Thomas, with his $6.0 million expiring deal, does not appear to have any suitors, partly a function of how teams regard his style, partly because there’s so little cap space out there. .
Since he declined the Nets two-year, $30 million deal with the second year non-guaranteed, Thomas has added impediments, that admittedly were mostly put in place by choice, and worse luck. By exercising his QO, Thomas will have the right to approve any trade but would lose his Bird Rights, reducing his changes of a big contract even more. And worse, earlier this season, he missed 20 games with his fourth episode of hamstring soreness or worse. That brings the year-and-a-third total to 73 games.
As Jordi Fernandez said yesterday, Thomas remains part of the rotation, but won’t be returning to the starting lineup now that he’s 10 games back following his rehab from hamstring strain. He even praised Thomas both before and after Sunday’s game.
“Yeah, right now we’re happy where he is, with the minutes he’s playing with the production, being that willing playmaker; because we know how good he is scoring the basketball, and taking those steps defensively,” Fernandez said before the Nets’ 124-102 loss in Chicago. “We need him to stay in those minutes a little longer because I, we, just believe what’s most important right now is his body, and (how) his body reacts. And we’re gonna be cautious with that.”
Indeed, he will sit vs. the Suns Monday at Barclays Center as the Nets play a back-to-back and their third game in four days. He is often joined on the bench in such situations by others with injury concerns: Michael Porter Jr., Egor Demin, and now Drake Powell. All missed some time between Summer League and now, the midway point of the season. Thomas, of course, missed the most and to a nagging injury. So no surprise.
So, where he is is where a number of people thought he’d ultimately wind up: as a sixth man capable of heating up almost instantly. That is not where the 6’4” 23-year-old wants to be. He wants to start. When our Lucas Kaplan asked him few games back whether he was disappointed not starting, Thomas smiled and politely declined comment.
How’s he done in those 10 games since his return? Not bad but with some caveats. Brian Lewis lays it out:
Since his return, Thomas has averaged a dozen points on .408 shooting and .340 from deep in 22.5 minutes. He handed out a career-high tying ten assists Sunday in Chicago; but he had just three points on 1-of-6 shooting in a loss where the Nets desperately needed him to replace absent Michael Porter Jr.’s missing offense.
The 1-of-6 number sticks out. As Lewis notes, when MPJ is out, they need their best sniper to pour it on. The numbers in the boxscore didn’t bother his head coach, though. Fernandez keeps noting that scoring is Thomas’ “super power” and he’ll continue to encourage it. On Sunday, he even offered praise for Thomas’ game.
“I’m not going to believe that he’s going to go 1-for-6 ever again. So I’m ok with him taking those shots,” Fernandez said post-game. “But the [playmaking] ability, he proved it today. Ten assists to one turnover, that’s elite.
“And he’s more than capable of doing it. He can see the game. He’s a smart player. They’re being aggressive in coverages, and he’s found his teammates. And his teammates made the shots. So very proud of him and the way he played. He shared the basketball, made this simple play over and over and over. And that’s the CT with playmaking that we want to see.”
How long will they “see” is the issue. If he isn’t moved by the trade deadline, now 17 days a way, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent who the Nets could in theory re-sign. More likely, he’ll seek a big deal elsewhere.
In the meantime, you’d expect his new agent will be scouring the NBA horizon, lobbying for his client and looking in the league’s nooks and crannies for spots he might just fit. Might Thomas be included in some multi-team deal where his contract becomes a facilitating piece? Might he wait till season’s end? One thing is certain, his opportunities are at this point limited.
- Nets’ Cam Thomas’ minutes won’t get a boost even as coach praises play – Brian Lewis – New York Post
- Nets’ Cam Thomas will stay on minutes restriction amid trade speculation – Erik Slater – Clutch Points
