Assessing Cam Thomas

Prokorov · Post #1 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 4:03 pm

MVP of summer league. some early buzz, huge game vs the Knicks, but nearing game 82, what do we think of Cam Thomas?

Originally it was between a solid pick and a steal. But looking back, im not so sure it was more then a marginal/average/ho-hum pick.

8.7 ppg, 2.5 rg, 1.2 apg (in 18 minutes)

17.3 PER36, 4.4 PER36, 2.5 PER36

43%/26%/83% shooting splits (FG/3PT/FT)

51.3 TS%, 11.7 PER

negative across the board defensively (DBPM, DRPM, DRAPM, DWS, Drtg) and even negative on several offensive ones.

the 3 guys taken right before Cam:

Bones Hyland (26th pick) better numbers on better percentages in similar minutes
Quentin Grimes (25th pick) slightly less scoring on slightly less minutes on better pecentages/defense
Josh Christopher (24th pick) similar scoring on better percentages in slightly less minutes with better defensive metrics

So is Cam some steal? it is hard for me to say that when the 3 guys taken directly above him have similar production in similar minutes on better shooting/defense.

I think the Nets would be wise to sell on whatever hype Cam has going right now. We can do better with the philly pick in this draft.

MrDollarBills · Post #2 » by **MrDollarBills** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 4:55 pm

Cam needs to improve on his three point shooting. If he's not scoring he's not really useful.

Right now, Edwards is the better long term fit.

NetsJets · Post #3 » by **NetsJets** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:14 pm

Cam is inefficient and when he’s off he’s off and he doesn’t provide anything else to make up for when he’s off. Not good defensively can’t play make. I see the potential in him if he tightened up some things next offseason.

Prokorov · Post #4 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:19 pm

MrDollarBills wrote:Cam needs to improve on his three point shooting. If he's not scoring he's not really useful.

Right now, Edwards is the better long term fit.

We have too many zeros from deep...

Cam
Johnson
The once he comes back to earth bruce brown
Claxton
Current Blake
LMA
Drummond

Outside KD the shooters we have are all small, and joe when back not great defensively. We need to turn Joe into a Robert Covington type. Id pair Joe with any/all rookies and 2 picks to make that happen.

MrDollarBills · Post #5 » by **MrDollarBills** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:21 pm

Prokorov wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:Cam needs to improve on his three point shooting. If he's not scoring he's not really useful.

Right now, Edwards is the better long term fit.

We have too many zeros from deep...

Cam
Johnson
The once he comes back to earth bruce brown
Claxton
Current Blake
LMA
Drummond

Outside KD the shooters we have are all small, and joe when back not great defensively. We need to turn Joe into a Robert Covington type. Id pair Joe with any/all rookies and 2 picks to make that happen.

Adding a 3 + D veteran would go a long way. Seth kind of makes Joe redundant since we can't play them at the same time defensively

bubonicphoniks · Post #6 » by **bubonicphoniks** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:28 pm

I like Cam.

I say keep him as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Doesn't help that Nash is a horrible coach and his minutes have been all over the place.

Prokorov · Post #7 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:28 pm

MrDollarBills wrote:
Prokorov wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:Cam needs to improve on his three point shooting. If he's not scoring he's not really useful.

Right now, Edwards is the better long term fit.

We have too many zeros from deep...

Cam
Johnson
The once he comes back to earth bruce brown
Claxton
Current Blake
LMA
Drummond

Outside KD the shooters we have are all small, and joe when back not great defensively. We need to turn Joe into a Robert Covington type. Id pair Joe with any/all rookies and 2 picks to make that happen.

Adding a 3 + D veteran would go a long way. Seth kind of makes Joe redundant since we can't play them at the same time defensively

it has to be a really player though... not like the corpse of danny green. we need to give up value in a trade to get back a high salary player who isnt about to turn into trash and miss 30 games for rest/health

Joe + Cam + 2 picks + eat bad salary using our exeptions in a seperate deal.

thats what id be shopping

Prokorov · Post #8 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:29 pm

bubonicphoniks wrote:I like Cam.

I say keep him as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Doesn't help that Nash is a horrible coach and his minutes have been all over the place.

He isnt a microwave scorer though. it hard to be that when you dont shoot threes or get to the line. he is going to hit 4 or 5 2 point shots or runners and give you like 8 or 9 points.

MrDollarBills · Post #9 » by **MrDollarBills** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 5:30 pm

Prokorov wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:
Prokorov wrote:
We have too many zeros from deep...

Cam
Johnson
The once he comes back to earth bruce brown
Claxton
Current Blake
LMA
Drummond

Outside KD the shooters we have are all small, and joe when back not great defensively. We need to turn Joe into a Robert Covington type. Id pair Joe with any/all rookies and 2 picks to make that happen.

Adding a 3 + D veteran would go a long way. Seth kind of makes Joe redundant since we can't play them at the same time defensively

it has to be a really player though... not like the corpse of danny green. we need to give up value in a trade to get back a high salary player who isnt about to turn into trash and miss 30 games for rest/health

Joe + Cam + 2 picks + eat bad salary using our exeptions in a seperate deal.

thats what id be shopping

I would give up that in a package as well. I would hate to lose Edwards but we need to think win now. KD is going to be 34 next season and we have already wasted two years of him when he's still on the right side of 30.

Post #10 » by **CalamityX12** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 6:56 pm

Cam was never put in a position to grow on the court... they're asking him to be something he really isn't, which is the by product of this insult to the NBA type of offensive structure...

Whether its 100% on Nash or its Nash n Co(KD/Ky).... Cam could make his name/brand bigger by being more aggressive in cutting or driving to the paint for easy deuces....

Yes he needs his 3 ball but was he known as a 3 pt shooter coming out of the draft? definitely not.

Prokorov · Post #11 » by **Prokorov** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 7:03 pm

CalamityX12 wrote:Cam was never put in a position to grow on the court... they're asking him to be something he really isn't, which is the by product of this insult to the NBA type of offensive structure...

Whether its 100% on Nash or its Nash n Co(KD/Ky).... Cam could make his name/brand bigger by being more aggressive in cutting or driving to the paint for easy deuces....

Yes he needs his 3 ball but was he known as a 3 pt shooter coming out of the draft? definitely not.

you dont draft a 1-way player who doesnt shoot threes and who is under 6'6" in todays league.

the thought had to be he could develop a three. gamble on him being able to develop a three. a guy taken #28 isnt expected to pan out, so if he doesnt develop a three its no loss.

Post #12 » by **CalamityX12** » Mon Apr 4, 2022 8:05 pm

Prokorov wrote:
CalamityX12 wrote:Cam was never put in a position to grow on the court... they're asking him to be something he really isn't, which is the by product of this insult to the NBA type of offensive structure...

Whether its 100% on Nash or its Nash n Co(KD/Ky).... Cam could make his name/brand bigger by being more aggressive in cutting or driving to the paint for easy deuces....

Yes he needs his 3 ball but was he known as a 3 pt shooter coming out of the draft? definitely not.

you dont draft a 1-way player who doesnt shoot threes and who is under 6'6" in todays league.

the thought had to be he could develop a three. gamble on him being able to develop a three. a guy taken #28 isnt expected to pan out, so if he doesnt develop a three its no loss.

its not to say he can't develop but most likely it'll take some time/seasons to do so.... hence why he was a bottom 1st rd prospect.

but his scoring ability was never defined by his ability to shoot the 3... he has/had ample of skillsets to score the bucket, he's never been put to do what he does best early...

bubonicphoniks · Post #13 » by **bubonicphoniks** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 8:03 am

Prokorov wrote:
bubonicphoniks wrote:I like Cam.

I say keep him as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Doesn't help that Nash is a horrible coach and his minutes have been all over the place.

He isnt a microwave scorer though. it hard to be that when you dont shoot threes or get to the line. he is going to hit 4 or 5 2 point shots or runners and give you like 8 or 9 points.

You don't have to have a three point shot to be a microw off the bench. Cam Thomas has shot creation ability that can be plugged into stagnant second units.

MrDollarBills · Post #14 » by **MrDollarBills** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 12:37 pm

bubonicphoniks wrote:
Prokorov wrote:
bubonicphoniks wrote:I like Cam.

I say keep him as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Doesn't help that Nash is a horrible coach and his minutes have been all over the place.

He isnt a microwave scorer though. it hard to be that when you dont shoot threes or get to the line. he is going to hit 4 or 5 2 point shots or runners and give you like 8 or 9 points.
You don't have to have a three point shot to be a microw off the bench. Cam Thomas has shot creation ability that can be plugged into stagnant second units.

Yes true, he could do a lot of damage from the midrange...when he's on.

Cam's efficiency is below league averages on 2pt attempts and 3 point attempts. He's got to become more efficient overall as well as develop a reliable 3 point shot to counter the fact that he is a negative defensively.

And I like Cam a lot. He has ice blood in his veins. But he has a lot of work to do.

MGrand15 · Post #15 » by **MGrand15** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 2:20 pm

The stats don't lie but I think Cam's been put in a really tough position this year. I mean you have guys like Kyrie and Harden frustrated with the spacing and the rotations. Expecting Cam to overcome that - with inconsistent minutes - is expecting a lot. Bones Hyland is a good comparison. The guy looks like a really good player - not knocking him at all - but Denver literally doesn't play non-shooters. Their worst shooters are Cousins + JaMychel Green who both command some respect from defenses. It lets Bones play fully to his strengths and attack the rim. They also have a system they've been running for years with the best playmaking big in the league.

I've been encouraged by what I've seen when he's actually in the rotation. The biggest things for him are getting a consistent spot up 3pt shot and team defense. I think the ability to score is already there. We just need an actual coach and lineups that belong in 2022.

MGrand15 · Post #16 » by **MGrand15** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 2:27 pm

Prokorov wrote:
MrDollarBills wrote:Cam needs to improve on his three point shooting. If he's not scoring he's not really useful.

Right now, Edwards is the better long term fit.

We have too many zeros from deep...

Cam
Johnson
The once he comes back to earth bruce brown
Claxton
Current Blake
LMA
Drummond

Outside KD the shooters we have are all small, and joe when back not great defensively. We need to turn Joe into a Robert Covington type. Id pair Joe with any/all rookies and 2 picks to make that happen.

I used to be on the trade Joe bandwagon but after this year + trading for Ben, we need all the shooters we can get. Let teams figure out how to guard Kyrie, Seth, Joe, KD together - then we can worry about defense later. KD + Ben + Clax on the floor together sounds like a terror defensively anyway.

Hello Brooklyn · Post #17 » by **Hello Brooklyn** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 3:25 pm

I don't even know why we drafted Cam.

He needs to play 30 minutes on a bad team and develop his skills. This isn't a good role for him. Hes not a shooter or defender.

He looked good when KD/Kyrie were out and he had more responsibility.

Trading Shamet for a pick made no sense. Should have kept Shamet and drafted Sharpe and Kess. Cam was not necessary at all.

OfficialRef · Post #18 » by **OfficialRef** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 4:38 pm

Hello Brooklyn wrote:I don't even know why we drafted Cam.

He needs to play 30 minutes on a bad team and develop his skills. This isn't a good role for him. Hes not a shooter or defender.

He looked good when KD/Kyrie were out and he had more responsibility.

Trading Shamet for a pick made no sense. Should have kept Shamet and drafted Sharpe and Kess. Cam was not necessary at all.

Cam was a KD pick I'm pretty sure.

KD took him under his wing and has been the closest to him more than any rookie ever.

He also plays the type of game KD seems to like; more of a streetball style favouring mid-range and craftiness over length/athleticism.

Personally I'm not a big fan of the kid. At best he becomes a poor mans Lou Will without the 3.

Karate Diop · Post #19 » by **Karate Diop** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 5:30 pm

He was always a development pick... Also has Bones, looking at his entire body of work been there much better? I only glanced raw stats and wasn't seeing it, but haven't done anything more than surface research...

MrDollarBills · Post #20 » by **MrDollarBills** » Tue Apr 5, 2022 5:33 pm

Karate Diop wrote:He was always a development pick... Also has Bones, looking at his entire body of work been there much better? I only glanced raw stats and wasn't seeing it, but haven't done anything more than surface research...

Bones plays on a roster that has has an actual coach that runs plays to maximize the talent on the entire roster and not so that two guys can jack up contested shots 50 times a game.