Is Cam Thomas the problem in Brooklyn?
The Brooklyn Nets have gone 2-8 over their last 10 games and have plummeted down the standings. During this time, Cam Thomas has been taken out of the Nets’ starting lineup. Is the former LSU guard the problem in the Big Apple?
NBA fans are drawn in by players who are crafty and can score, two things that Cam Thomas can do very well. But, outside of being the crafty and scoring shooting guard, Thomas frankly has no other strengths.
Shot Taking:
This season, Thomas has taken an exponential leap in scoring this, but it’s not as pretty as you might think. With 13 added minutes on a nightly basis, Thomas is hurting the Nets with shot attempt volume. In November, Thomas took an average of 22 shots in 31 minutes per night, averaging 24 points per game. That same month, Thomas shot 42.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range, putting him outside the top 100 in shooting numbers this season.
Inconsistent Shooting:
It’s not only Thomas’ efficiency that has been hurting the Nets, but his consistency too. Last night in a 27-point loss to the Utah Jazz, Thomas took 11 shots and would go on to miss all of them–putting up a goose egg in 20 minutes on the court.
In Brooklyn’s four preseason games, Thomas proved that he is the problem for the Nets; he shot 21, 43, 22 and 64 percent from the field with 14, 18, seven and 26 points, respectively.
Defensive Issues:
Thomas couldn’t guard a parked car if he tried. Coming in at a defensive rating of 121.5 this season, Thomas ranks outside the top 400 players who have played an NBA game this season. Pitiful. Don’t expect anything coming out of Thomas on the defensive end of the floor.
Moving to the Bench:
After Thomas was moved to the bench in the Nets’ 16-point loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the former LSU guard is looking to take a team-first approach.
“At the end of the day, I want to start. But for what the team needs, I’ve got to come off the bench, whether it’s sixth or seventh man, come in and bring energy,” Thomas told Lewis. “So just not getting down, just staying positive and keep my energy high.”
Thomas is the Problem:
Thomas has shown how inconsistent of a player he can be. He is a straight-up shot-chucker and provides no defensive presence for an already struggling Nets defense. Thomas is slowly becoming a huge problem for the Nets.
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