The tension has been building, and it was only a matter of time before Brooklyn decided
to move on from their shooting guard, but where does the Nets Cam Thomas end up
next? There are a number of teams who could use a silky smooth scorer that’s capable
of creating his own shot. With the Nets releasing Thomas instead of trading him, he
could end up anywhere.
Injuries have been a problem for Thomas since the Nets took him 27th overall in the
2021 NBA Draft out of LSU. The team has played in 376 games since then, and
Thomas has played in 239 of those (63.5%). He has only started in 88 of those
contests. That’s barely a single NBA season of starting, but the thing that makes
Thomas so alluring is that he can score quickly and often.
The former Tiger is scoring 15.2 points per game over his career, in just 23.3 minutes
per game. That’s 0.652 points per minute. To put that in perspective, Wilt Chamberlain,
arguably the greatest scorer in NBA history, averaged 0.657 points per minute over his
career. That’s not to say that Thomas will drop 100 any time soon, but he has the ability
to be a huge boost for someone’s bench, or a starter for a team with a hole at the two
spot.
Where Does He Play And For How Much?
Thomas’s divorce from the Nets had much to do with money, and how much he wanted
versus how much they were willing to pay. He reportedly turned down a two-year deal
for $30 million and then a one-year deal worth $9 million. If he can get a mid-level
exception from a non-taxed team, it could be worth $14 million a year. It’s unlikely that
anyone will give him the big contract he was looking for.
The Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are the third-best team in the Western Conference right now, with a record
of 33-19. They have the game’s best player coming back from injury (Nikola Jokic) and
a perennial all-star snub in Jamal Murray. What they don’t have is a decent shooting
guard. Tim Hardaway Jr is a nice role player, averaging 13.9 points per game, and
Christian Braun seems to be getting the bulk of the starts, and is averaging just 9.1
points per game. He is also shooting a horrible 19.4% from three.
Even in a down year, Thomas is shooting 32.5% from three and would be electric in the
starting lineup next to Murray. Even if the Nuggets choose to have him come off the
bench, the way he scores, he could win Sixth Man of the Year and give the team the
boost it needs to get back to the NBA Finals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC is set at point guard (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and center (Chet Holmgren).
Shooting guard Jalen Williams is playing well right now, averaging 16.8 points per
game, so Thomas would not start for this team, but he would add some amazing depth
off the bench for a team that’s 40-12 and sitting atop the Western Conference. It could
be a great chance for Thomas to get a ring and increase his stock during a deep playoff
run.
The Golden State Warriors
The Warriors just traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for
Kristaps Porzingis. It looked like they may be waving the white flag, but the team is still
27-24 and in the hunt. Porzingis will replace the 17 points per game the team was
getting from Kuminga, and the addition of Thomas would more than make up for the
eight points per game they were getting from Hield.
Thomas could either back up Jimmy Butler or he could start next to Curry, moving Butler
to the three. He would be a great fit for this team.
Nets Cam Thomas Loss Is Another Team’s Gain
Thomas may not be worth a $20 million dollar per year deal, but that doesn’t mean he’s
worthless. It’s a complete surprise that nobody traded for him before the deadline. It’s
hard to imagine what the Nets’ asking price must have been. Thomas is now an
unrestricted free agent, or more importantly, a hired gun for a playoff team.
