Since they weren’t able to swing a deal before the NBA trading deadline expired, the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly waiving guard Cam Thomas.
Thomas, 24, had an uneven tenure with the Nets. He proved at times that he was a capable scorer, averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game last season. But Thomas was a restricted free agent this past offseason and a true market never really materialized, so the Nets brought him back on his qualifying offer.
As Brooklyn has transitioned to its younger players, Thomas’ role has been reduced. Still, he’s a young player who has significant deficiencies with his defense and offensive efficiency, but he could provide a boost in the right system.
Here are potential landing spots for Cam Thomas:
Milwaukee Bucks
Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is sticking around at least through the end of this season, Milwaukee may try to add some pieces to convince Antetokounmpo to commit to the franchise over the long term. The Bucks, though, may be trying to find the balance between staying competitive in the East versus improving their draft pick positioning in what’s a talent-rich draft. The Bucks rank 23rd in offensive rating (112.9), however, so Thomas could offer a scoring boost.
Orlando Magic
They weren’t that active before the trading deadline, but the Magic still have some offensive issues. Paolo Banchero has struggled to take the next step and Desmond Bane has offered a nice boost, but Orlando still could use some perimeter shot creation. The Magic are 25-24 and hanging around the play-in window in the East. Their defense is their strength, so they have other players that can mask Thomas’ deficiencies in that area, but the scoring is what they could use.
Boston Celtics
This is a team with the structure and culture in place to take a potential flyer on Thomas. Certainly, the defensive issues don’t align with Boston’s identity. But the Celtics may also be looking to find a low-cost replacement for Anfernee Simons, whom the Celtics just traded to Chicago for Nikola Vučević. The Celtics would feel that Thomas’ career-low 39.9% shooting is more of an aberration, but if there’s one team that can get Thomas to refine his game, it would be Boston.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto was mostly quiet during the deadline, but this is a team that could still be looking to make some modest improvements to ensure its playoff push. Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley are the primary offensive catalysts for this team, but Toronto still has periods of stagnancy and could use some shot creation off the bench.
Utah Jazz
The big splash was the move to land Jaren Jackson Jr., but the Jazz may still want to land some more offensive talent as Utah makes a push to creep into the play-in window. One reason why this could be a problematic fit, however, is the defensive concerns. The Jazz rank dead last in the NBA in defensive rating (122.0) and Thomas won’t help that.