Opening night NBA Sixth Man of the Year rankings
By Ian Levy
4. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
Cam Thomas has been desperately crying out for an opportunity. He began his career in the middle of the Kevin Durant - Kyrie Irving mess but has done nothing but get buckets at every opportunity.
After Kyrie Irving was traded, Thomas went on a tear and scored 40+ in three consecutive games. But it wasn't long before additional trades were made, the rotation was shuffled and his minutes were cut. He played less than 10 minutes in eight of the 13 games he appeared in across March and April. With the outcome of the season decided, he was cut loose in the final game and went for 46 points.
To be fair, he's not a very good defender. He can get tunnel vision. And while he has upside as a creator for others he recorded almost as many turnovers (63) as assists (78) last season. What he does, is get buckets.
Even with his inconsistent playing time last year, Thomas averaged 22.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per 36 minutes, shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. He can hit pull-up jumpers from everywhere, and thrives getting downhill and attacking the rim. He led the Nets in scoring during the preseason and will, in theory, be one of the first guards off the bench with Dennis Smith Jr.
The Nets have a ton of solid complementary wings, the bones of a fantastic defense but just one reliable offensive creator — Mikal Bridges. If they're going to make an impact this season, they'll need someone like Thomas who can consistently put pressure on the defense, make tough shots and create easy ones for others.