Going into the 2024-25 season, the Nets' roster is filled with young developing players as well as veterans that are eventually going to be traded. Unlike the previous season, the Nets are going to have their own 1st-round pick, meaning they now have every incentive to tank in what is considered a generational draft class. Since the Nets have neither the talent nor motivation to win, they now have the freedom to experiment on the court, something they were previously terrified to do because they did not want to take the risk of growing pains. Specifically, I am referring to Cam Thomas, one of the most polarizing players in the NBA, and whether or not he can take this opportunity to improve his overall game.
While there is a debate among fans about whether or not there’s more to Thomas' game, I believe that his lack of opportunity in the past has stunted his development. Many will argue that Cam Thomas had ample opportunity last season, leading the team with a 29.6% Usage Rate, 12th in the NBA. No one disagrees that Cam Thomas wasn’t free to take as many shots as he wanted; however, the way he took those shots was incredibly unstructured. Despite being ranked 12th in Usage, Thomas had the 3rd lowest Time of Possession among the players in the top 12 in Usage, the lowest among guards within the top 12. Despite taking a large number of shots, he would receive the ball in the half-court and have little time to work with the shot clock, resulting in Thomas being forced to take difficult shots. Of Thomas’ 1,190 total Field Goal Attempts, 122 of them were with less than 4 seconds on the shot clock. This means that 10% of Thomas’ shots were at the buzzer, and he shot a poor 36.5% EFG on those attempts.
Jacque Vaughn, for whatever reason, was hesitant to fully unleash Cam Thomas. Under JV, Thomas averaged less than 30 minutes per game and came off the bench for 15 games. Despite being the leading scorer, Thomas was sent to the bench and given limited minutes when the team was performing poorly. As the Nets were 2-13 with Thomas coming off the bench, Vaughn reluctantly inserted him back into the starting lineup.
There’s an argument to be made that if Thomas were in a role that allowed him to get the ball earlier in the shot clock, it would allow him to make better decisions with the ball, possibly resulting in more assists and more efficient shots. There is some evidence to support this claim. In the month of March, interim coach Kevin Ollie allowed Thomas to run the offense at times. During this month, Thomas had his highest Time of Possession. With the ball in his hands more, not only was he able to increase his scoring, but the assists went up as well. In March, Thomas averaged 26.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 46% FG, 39% 3PT, and 88% FT, playing 36.4 minutes per game across 11 games.
Under newly hired head coach Jordi Fernandez, Thomas will have an opportunity to prove that he is more than just a scorer. While it is no secret the Nets will be tanking, there can still be individual success on a bad team. When putting Cam Thomas’ career in context, there is evidence to believe he can take a leap into a star-caliber player.
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