Tag: cam thomas

Nets’ Cam Thomas has questions to answer with his play next season

Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has some questions to answer during a crucial 2024-25 season for him.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is one of the most promising players on the roster right now as the franchise navigates a rebuild following the trade of Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. With Bridges gone and with Brooklyn possibly trading more of the veterans, Thomas will now have to prove himself as the primary scoring option.

Brian Lewis of the New York Post recently wrote about the fact that Thomas is poised for the biggest role that he’s had in his career to date due to the moves that the Nets have made this offseason. With that new role also comes with people around the NBA wondering if Thomas is as good as some people say.

“Cam Thomas is very controversial. I actually like him. He can score. But does he do it at the expense of the team? That remains to be seen. TBD,” one scout told The Post,” Lewis wrote. What that scout hit on is that Thomas is controversial, mostly in conversations amongst the Nets fanbase as there are some who believe that Thomas is a star in this league while there are some who believe that he is making the best of a advantageous situation.

There was another question posed to Lewis as he wrote “is he just a guy who scores on a bad team?” one Eastern Conference executive said to The Post. “Or is he more?” Either way, Thomas will have the ball in his hands a lot during the 2024-25 season and will probably seek to do as much as he can given that he’ll be heading into the final season of his rookie deal (assuming that the Nets do not extend him this summer).

Thomas should be up for the challenge as he went from scoring 10.6 points per game on 44.1/38.3/86.8 shooting splits during the 2022-23 season to dropping 22.5 points on similar shooting percentages over the course of the 2023-24 campaign. Thomas has a lot to play for next season and it will be for more than just his next contract.

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Nets’ Cam Thomas does not make The Ringer’s top-25 under 25 list

In The Ringer’s “Top 25 Under 25” list, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas did not make the top-25 or any of the honorable mentions either.

The Brooklyn Nets are at the stage of their franchise where they are trying to acquire enough players and/or valuable assets to set themselves up for the future. As the team moves forward in its quest to build around some of the younger players on the team, one of their young players did not make a particular coveted list.

The Ringer recently published its “Top 25 Under 25” article where the outlet ranks the best players that are under 25 years old. Unfortunately for Nets guard Cam Thomas, he did not make the list despite having a breakout season during the 2023-24 campaign.

For context, the names at the bottom of the list are Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane. The article also included a “Just Missed the Cut” section to function as an honorable mention list and Thomas didn’t make that list either.

Some of the players who made The Ringer’s honorable mention list were Coby White of the Chicago Bulls, Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat. So, if Thomas is regarded as one of the best players in the NBA under 25 years old, he is outside of the top-32 according to The Ringer.

Thomas, 22, had quite the 2023-24 season as he averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field, 36.4% from three-point land, and 85.6% from the free-throw line. Thomas played in 66 games (51 starts) and as a result of how he played, he received the seventh-most votes for the 2023-24 Most Improved Player of the Year award.

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Report: some NBA scouts prefer Tyler Herro over Nets’ Cam Thomas

Per Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, some NBA scouts prefer Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro over Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of an offseason in which they’ll look to improve the team enough to make it back to the playoffs next season. While Brooklyn has plenty of moves that they could make this summer, there is some news that recently came out about how scouts feels one of their more promising players.

In a recent article by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, he wrote about a possible four-team trade that could solve issues for a few teams in the NBA. As part of setting up that mock trade scenario, Pincus wrote something interesting about why the Cleveland Cavaliers should be going after Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro instead of Nets guard Cam Thomas.

“After polling several NBA scouts, all prefer Herro to Thomas,” Pincus wrote. While it’s unknown who the scouts are or if they are scouts are in the Eastern Conference, it’s interesting to read that there are some scouts who would rather have Thomas than Herro.

Herro, 24, averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 39.6% from three-point land in 42 games played for the Heat this season. Thomas, 22, averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the floor and 36.4% from behind the three-point line.

While this article was Pincus putting together what he felt was the best mock trade for four teams and just relaying what he has been told, comparing Herro to Thomas could be something that has future implications. Herro is currently in the middle of a four-year, $120 million contract with Miami, but has averaged 20.5 points over the past three seasons.

Plenty of players have recognized how good of a scorer Thomas is, especially after the season that he’s coming off. This season was disappointing for the Nets as they missed the postseason completely, but Thomas finished the year with the seventh-most total points for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

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What would an extension for Nets’ Cam Thomas look like?

With Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas eligible for an extension this offseason, what would his extension look like if the Nets went that way?

The Brooklyn Nets have plenty of matters to address this offseason as they look to make some moves to hopefully make it back to the playoffs again. One of the interesting developments for Brooklyn that may be addressed this offseason involves one of their better players being eligible for an extension this summer.

Nets guard Cam Thomas is one of four players on the roster that are eligible for extensions this offseason and Thomas could be the most impactful for Brooklyn given where he stands at this moment. Thomas, 22, was the Nets’ best offensive weapon this past season, leading the team with an average of 22.5 points per game.

Thomas has had an interesting career arc with the organization over his first three seasons in the NBA given that he went from starting in just six of 124 games in his first two seasons to starting 51 of 66 games played in 2023-24.

While the Nets were hoping that players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson could build on their play during the final months of the 2022-23 season, it was actually Thomas who improved his game to the point of being their best scorer.

With that being said, Thomas could be extended this offseason. If he isn’t extended, he will be a restricted free-agent next summer so Brooklyn will have more say in whether Thomas comes back to the Nets, depending on how much Brooklyn is willing to pay to keep him with the organization.

Keith Smith of Spotrac recently wrote a piece on the Nets’ financials this offseason and regarding Thomas, Smith says that “ideally, Thomas would take something in the range of four-years and $100 million.”

If Thomas were to be had for $25 million per season, that would put him in the range of guards like Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat ($24.064 million), Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers ($25 million), and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks ($26 million).

In most negotiations, a player’s price point is a combination of how good he is and how much other teams are willing to pay the player. As mentioned earlier, Brooklyn can wait until next offseason to pay Thomas, but depending on how next season goes, his price could be more than $25 million per year.

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Nets’ Sean Marks gives thoughts on Cam Thomas’ growth

After his impressive 2023-24 season, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been catching the eye of everyone around the NBA who see his growth.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas had himself an incredible 2023-24 season as he went from microwave scorer off the bench to a potential All-Star someday. Thomas’ explosion this past season was in more than just scoring and was enough for him to receive the seventh-most votes for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

“Look, I think Cam had a heck of a year. I’m not saying anything that anybody didn’t see for themselves,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently when asked about how he viewed Thomas’ performance this season. Thomas, 22, averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.4% from three-point land.

“I really was intrigued about the responsibility Cam took in his own development, in terms of we all knew he could go get a bucket,” Marks explained. “We all knew the confidence that he plays with which, some of that you just, to be quite honest, it can’t be taught, right? So, it’s innately who he is and how he’s built. But it’s him being a facilitator out there, him playing with others, him making other people look good.”

Like Marks said, Thomas has had to have a hand in his own development, as do all players, but he took it to the next level by improving his overall game to the point that he became an invaluable member of the rotation. After spending the first two years of his career coming off the bench (124 games played with six starts), Thomas started 51 of his 66 games played this season due to how much the team needed him on the floor.

Of the 21 players who suited up for the Nets this season, Thomas was first in points per game, sixth in assists per game, third in minutes per game (31.4), and third in free-throw percentage (85.6%). It’s safe to say that he will be a core member of the team’s future moving forward.

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Should the Nets extend Cam Thomas this offseason?

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Brian Lewis of the New York Post discussed whether the Brooklyn Nets will extend Cam Thomas this summer.

The Brooklyn Nets are heading into an important offseason for them as they will be looking to address several issues with the team to be better for next season. One of the players who is becoming more important to Brooklyn with each passing day is guard Cam Thomas.

In a recent episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Brian Lewis of the New York Post discussed various areas of the Nets as they approach this summer. One of those topics was whether Thomas would receive an extension this summer given that he is eligible for one coming off a career year for him.

During the conversation, Lewis said “I’m not sure it’s great business to do an extension now. If I look at this as a general manager now, I probably wouldn’t do it now. But, I’d tell him that I’m not doing it and why.” One important thing to note is that Thomas will be a restricted free-agent next summer so there isn’t as much pressure for the Nets to extend him this offseason given that they could match whatever offer Thomas receives next year.

Thomas, 22, is coming off a season in which he averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field, 36.4% from three-point land, and 85.6% from the free-throw line. While he is not expected to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award, Thomas should be in the conversation given that he averaged 10.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game just last season.

Scotto also said that “As of today, I don’t see Cam Thomas and the Nets agreeing to a contract extension, but it’s a situation I’ll certainly monitor all summer” when discussing Thomas’ extension chances. Whether Brooklyn reaches a contract extension this summer with Thomas or not, it seems that the Nets will be giving Thomas a lot of money soon enough.

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Nets’ Cam Thomas reflects on growth this season, MIP award

During his exit interview on Monday, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas spoke on how his game grew this season, the MIP award, and more.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets‘ 2023-24 season ended on Sunday after they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, but one could argue that their postseason hopes ended before that. One of the few bright spots that came out of this disappointing season for Brooklyn was the emergence of Cam Thomas and how he burst onto the scene.

“I thought we was in a good spot this year,” Thomas said during his exit interview on Monday. Over the course of this season, Thomas went from projected bench scorer to being the best offensive player on a Nets team that struggled to find another source of consistent production. Thomas found himself in a new role and exceeded expectations when Brooklyn needed him the most.

“We started off good,” Thomas explained. “I mean, we lost some tough close games, all one possession games early. But then we found our stride, got some wins. And then i think we just hit that wall as a team, we couldn’t really recover from it. It was tough. But I mean, we always showed flashes of the kind of team we can be, you know, getting up and down, guarding, making 3s, just making shots as a team.”

The Nets began this season with a 13-10 record despite some tough, close losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks, two of the better teams in the NBA this season. However, after beating the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 13 to get to 13-10, Brooklyn proceeded to lose their next five games against better competition and it seems like the Nets never regained their competitiveness after that.

“Just knowing that I could be doubled a lot more, coming off screens and stuff, or even in the one-on-one situations, reading where the double will come from, seeing where teams double me, and the way teams double me,” Thomas said when asked what he will be working on this offseason.

Thomas had the best season of his career by far and that was due to playing on a more consistent basis and having a much larger role compared to his first two seasons in the NBA. Despite getting his opportunity in his third season, Thomas never lost confidence in himself or in the chance for his ascension to happen in Brooklyn.

“I always believed in myself and I know the kind of player that I am. I just want to keep working. I never really had doubts of not playing. I believe in myself and my ability the best way I can. Sometimes, it was just a timing thing. I never really had doubts about it happening here. I love it here. I got drafted here, so I’ll always have a place for it. I never really had doubts about playing here,” Thomas said.

While he isn’t likely to win the Most Improved Player of the Year award this season, Thomas believes that he should be in the conversation. “I should definitely be top three going from barely playing in the rotation and having little spurts in the season to going all the way up an 11-point jump to 22 points per game. Any other year, that goes noticed. But this year, it’s kind of gone unnoticed,” Thomas explained.

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Nets’ Cam Thomas gets Bill Simmons’ vote, but not for Most Improved

In an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” host Bill Simmons nominated Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas for an award, but it wasn’t the MIP.

The 2023-24 NBA regular season is coming to a close and among other things, that means that it’s time for voters to make their picks for the end-of-season accolades. Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is considered to be one of the players in contention for the Most Improved Player of the Year award, but one media member thinks Thomas deserves a different kind of award as well.

In a episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” released on Monday, Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo discussed their annual “Made-Up” awards show. One of the awards that they discussed was the “Freeman Williams” award for the biggest “black hole” in the NBA this season.

As Simmons says, the award is named after Williams because “on the 1980-81 (San Diego) Clippers, he played 24.1 minutes a game, averaged 19.3 points a game and took 16.8 field-goals. 16.8 field goals in 24.1 minutes. If you do the per 36 (minutes), it projects to like 25 shots a game and he was like the seven man.”

Based on this commentary, it sounds like Simmons defines a “black hole” as a player who rarely passes the ball. So, Simmons is nominating Thomas for this award and even described it as “this is Cam Thomas’ award to lose” to indicate that Thomas is the frontrunner in his mind.

For the purpose of this discussion, it should be noted that it is hard for find catch-all numbers that would indicate how likely a player is to shoot or pass the ball in a given scenario. Basketball is very much a game of instinct and that’s not taking into account that every player has a role that influences what he is likely to do on any possession.

Per Basketball Reference, Thomas is attempting 28.7 field-goals per 100 team possessions which ties him with Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox for the fourth-most field-goal attempts in the NBA. Essentially, if Thomas played 100 offensive possessions for the Nets, he would shoot between 28 times and 29 times on average.

Of the 28 players that are averaging at least 24.5 field-goal attempts per 100 possessions, Thomas ranks 25th in assists per game (4.7), but is also just 21st in turnovers per game (3.0) while ranking 13th in points per game (35.5). It should also be noted that Thomas is estimated to have played just 8% of his time at point guard so, as primarily an off-ball guard, when the ball is in his hands, it’s usually to shoot the basketball.

No matter where you stand on the issue of whether Thomas is a “black hole” or not, everyone has to admit that he is one of the better scorers in the NBA. And, at just 22 years old, his scoring has made a difference for a Nets team that is still finding its way following the trades of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant.

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Nets’ Cam Thomas gives his take on Kevin Ollie’s performance

After Wednesday’s 115-111 win over the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas gave his opinion on interim head coach Kevin Ollie.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie took over Brooklyn at a time when the team was trying to do what it could to turn the season around. Ollie filled in after Jacque Vaughn was fired during the All-Star break and while his record isn’t stellar, a key player believes that Ollie has done a good job.

“Yeah, he’s done a great job,” Nets guard Cam Thomas said after Wednesday’s 115-111 win over the Indiana Pacers. While Brooklyn did its job by stepping up to beat the Pacers, they were ultimately eliminated from the Eastern Conference play-in tournament because the Atlanta Hawks beat the Detroit Pistons.

“I mean, it’s only so much you can do at the All-Star break,” Thomas explained. “I mean, he can’t really change too much. We’re already 50, 55 games in. Not much you can really change, because that would be a tough thing to do. But, I feel like for what he’s had to deal with and what the situation brought, he’s done an amazing job. So, it’s been great.”

Over the course of this season, the Nets were 21-33 (38.9%) under Vaughn before he was dismissed and Brooklyn is 9-14 (39.1%) under the direction of Ollie. With that being said, there is a difference in how the Nets have been playing under Ollie.

Under Vaughn, Brooklyn was 19th in the NBA in offensive rating (114.5) and 21st in defensive rating (116.8). After Ollie took over, the Nets regressed to 24th in offensive rating (109.7), but improved to 13th in the league in defensive rating (112.8).

Obviously, Ollie is working with most of the same personnel that Vaughn was working with, but Ollie is also dealing with the absences of Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale while taking advantage of the addition of Dennis Schroder. As this season gets close to the end, Ollie has the support of one of the team’s best players.

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Nets’ Cam Thomas draws praise from Lakers’ LeBron James

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas received some praise from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James after Sunday’s loss to the Lakers.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has made his mark in the NBA as one of the better scorers in the league and at this point, his scoring explosions are becoming less surprising. Thomas had another opportunity to show what he could do against one of the best players in NBA history and even got some quick praise in the process.

In Sunday’s 116-104 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Thomas put up 30 points and six assists in a contest that saw the Nets come back from a 26-point deficit to get to within eight points of the Lakers in large part because of Thomas’ microwave-like scoring ability and timely passing.

On the other side of Thomas was LeBron James, a player who many in the NBA community consider to be the greatest player to ever lace up a pair of sneakers. James put up 40 points of his own in his latest masterpiece as he shot 13-of-17 from the field, including 9-of-10 from three-point range.

After the win over the Nets, James was asked by Erik Slater of ClutchPoints about his thoughts on Thomas given that he’s averaging 33.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 52.5% from the field and 57.1% from deep in two games against Los Angeles this season and James had some praise for Thomas, albeit brief.

James said that Thomas “does that to everybody” in reference to his scoring outbursts. That marks another great player in the league who has seen what Thomas can do and as some people say, game recognizes game.

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