Is Cam Thomas really ready to be a primary scorer for the Nets?

After a historic scoring run, the Brooklyn Nets relegated guard Cam Thomas back to the bench. Is he ready to be a primary scorer for the franchise?

The era of superstars was over in Brooklyn (at least for the time being). Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were mere days away from being granted their trade request.

On Feb. 4, both star players were out of the lineup, as the Nets faced the Washington Wizards. The Nets trotted out a starting lineup of Seth Curry, Edmond Sumner, Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, and Nic Claxton.

Predictably, the Nets got off to a rough start. They trailed 44-21 with 49.2 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Guard Cam Thomas came off the bench and scored eight points in the opening frame. He was solid in the second quarter; he recorded six points and has two assists. The Nets still trailed by 18 at the half.

Then, something happened. With 2:47 minutes left in the third quarter, Thomas took his first shot of the period, as he executed a highlight four-point play.

Thomas then hit another three. He went on to score 11 points in a little over two minutes, and the Nets cut the lead to 7 points. The scoring barrage continued in the fourth quarter. Thomas scored 19 points in the frame!

With the Nets trailing by one with 39.2 seconds left, Thomas hit a contested mid-range jumper to give the Nets the lead.

https://twitter.com/nbabet/status/1622048590750261250

Overall, Thomas scored 44 points (16-of-23 from the field, 4-of-5 from beyond the arc) in only 29 minutes and led the Nets to victory.

It was a nice moment for Thomas. Although it was unexpected, individual players can have big scoring games, sometimes. Terrence Ross once scored 51 points in a game. However, Thomas dropped 47 points (15-of-29 from the field, 7-of-11 on 3s) on the Los Angeles Clippers in his next game.

Thomas, once again, looked unguardable. After his breakout game against the Wizards, the Nets moved him into the starting lineup. He hit several contested jumpers off the dribble and was able to get to the basket with ease. On this play, he made his way through all five Clippers’ defenders to get to the bucket:

On the second night of a back-to-back, Thomas then dropped 43 points (11-of-23 FG, 3-of-9 on 3s) against the Phoenix Suns.

With that game, Thomas became the youngest player ever to score 40+ points in three consecutive games. At the moment, the 21-year-old appeared destined to become the next superstar in Brooklyn.

The Nets made a mistake benching Cam Thomas

In a surprising decision, the Nets relegated Thomas back to the bench. Over his last three games, he is averaging only 19.7 minutes. He has still capitalized on his opportunities, though. In his last game, he scored 19 points (6-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 on 3s) in 20 minutes against the Miami Heat. Still, the decision was puzzling.

Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn commented on the situation. He said the following, per Erik Slater of ClutchPoints:

"“The three games of 40 (points) were awesome. (I’m) super happy for him, they can never take that away from him, he’s in the record books. But at the same time, we lost two of those games. So, the ultimate goal is to create a team and an atmosphere where everyone can be a participant and we’re going to utilize and maximize everyone’s talent.”"

That explanation raised only more questions. Vaughn pointed out that the Nets lost two of the games that Thomas scored 40+ points in, but let’s take a closer look at those losses.

Against the Clippers, Thomas had a plus-minus of plus-3. Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s bench struggled to keep pace, as every player in the second unit posted a negative plus-minus. So, the Nets lost the game during the minutes that Thomas was off the floor. Why would he be held responsible for that?

Furthermore, the Clippers had both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George active. They are 19-9 when both players are in the lineup. With a depleting supporting cast, expecting the Nets to win that game is a stretch. Against the Suns, the Nets’ bench, once again, was a problem. Let’s look at some notable plus/minuses:

• Day’Ron Sharpe: -7
• Patty Mills: -5
• Edmond Sumner: -5

Additionally, the Suns have the fifth-best record in the West, and their whole starting unit was healthy.

In conclusion, Vaughn’s logic is flawed. The Nets added a lot of depth during the trade deadline. With an improved supporting cast, Thomas has the potential to lead the Nets to meaningful victories. His three-game run proved his value. He was able to go toe-to-toe with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Devin Booker.

In the NBA, opportunity can be everything. The Nets put the ball in Thomas’s hands, and he thrived. Moving forward, the Nets’ management of Thomas is a concern. How many minutes will he play? More importantly, how often will he be able to handle the basketball?

There still may be a superstar in Brooklyn. All they have to do is utilize him.

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