Cam Thomas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Knicks, Mitchell, Thomas, Raptors

October 31st, 2023 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

The blockbuster trade sending James Harden from Philadelphia to Los Angeles is the culmination of a saga that made headlines for the last four months, but it’s only step one in the Sixers‘ latest plan for short- and long-term contention, says Sam Amick of The Athletic.

As Amick outlines, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will attempt to use the draft assets he acquires from the Clippers to add another win-now piece to a roster that has gotten off to a pretty good start this season even without Harden in action.

In an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday morning (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski said that the Sixers feel as if they can now put together a trade package comparable to what Boston gave up to get Jrue Holiday earlier this month, though it remains to seen if a player of Holiday’s caliber – and fit – will become available prior to the February trade deadline.

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Until he signs an extension with the Cavaliers or gets traded somewhere else, Donovan Mitchell will likely continue to be linked to the Knicks as a potential trade target, which his friend Josh Hart understands, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “He’s from New York. New York is never going to let that go away,” Hart said. “So you’ll never know what happens. That’s for the future, that’s for Knicks Twitter to talk about, and have rumors about, and put up stats of God knows what. But everyone knows that will be an underlying thing.”
Nets guard Cam Thomas, who recently had his 2024/25 option picked up, became the second-youngest player in NBA history to open the season with three consecutive 30-point games, per ESPN. The 22-year-old’s play has earned him praise from head coach Jacque Vaughn. “We know he has ability to score the basketball, but it has not been forced,” Vaughn said. “It’s been within the flow of the offense. And then at certain times when we need a bucket and he is capable of doing that also. So he is learning how to survey the game and when we need him to score and when he needs to facilitate.”
There was optimism entering the fall that new head coach Darko Rajakovic could help jump-start the Raptors‘ offense, which has struggled in recent years in half-court sets. But a week into the season, Toronto ranks dead last in the NBA in offensive rating (100.8). Regardless of whether it’s Pascal Siakam or Scottie Barnes leading the attack, the offense isn’t working, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic.

Nets Notes: Thomas, Johnson, Claxton, Finney-Smith, Dinwiddie

October 28th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cam Thomas will become a fixture in the Nets‘ lineup if he keeps scoring the way he has in the season’s first two games, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas poured in 36 points off the bench in Wednesday’s season opener and followed that with 30 more as a starter Friday night in Dallas.

Scoring outbursts are nothing new for Thomas, who had three straight 40-point games last season, but issues with defense and play-making have prevented him from earning a regular role in his first two years in the NBA. With Thomas coming off a strong training camp, his teammates are hoping to see him as a consistent member of the rotation.

“Need it,” Mikal Bridges said. “I mean, that’s his job: Come off the bench and bring instant offense. “Defensively, he’s been playing hard, being in the right spots, so that was a big thing for him to learn. But that’s what he’s supposed to do off the bench. He’s supposed to lead that bench in scoring and provide offense. … then teams over-help and find other guys. That’s what he’s supposed to do. He can score the hell out of the ball.”

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Brooklyn is hoping forward Cameron Johnson and center Nic Claxton, who are both considered day-to-day, can return for Monday’s game at Charlotte, Lewis states in another story for the Post. After sitting out the preseason with a hamstring injury, Johnson suffered a left calf contusion on opening night and didn’t play Friday. Claxton sprained his left ankle in the opener and missed Friday’s game in what coach Jacque Vaughn calls “a precaution.”
Friday marked the first return to Dallas for Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, who were both shipped to Brooklyn in February in the Kyrie Irving trade, Lewis adds. “I’ve got a ton of love for Mavs, Mavs’ fan base, the team,” Dinwiddie said. “Shoot, I just congratulated Josh Green on his new deal, so a lot of those guys are still my friends.”
Hawks guard Patty Mills, who played for Nets teams that included Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden, tells Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News that off-court distractions ruined what could have been a title contender. “I think any place you go, the ideal scenario is it’s about basketball and you keep it about basketball, and you figure out how to move forward on the basketball court,” Mills said. “So when you look back at it there, there were definitely a lot of times where there were distractions that got the better of us and that definitely took a toll.”

Nets Exercise 2024/25 Team Options On Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe

October 26th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The Nets have exercised their 2024/25 team options on guard Cam Thomas and center Day’Ron Sharpe, the team announced on Thursday (Twitter link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post). Since their fourth-year options have been picked up, both players will now be eligible for rookie scale extensions next offseason.

Thomas, the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, will earn $4,041,249 in ’24/25. Sharpe, the 29th pick of the same draft, will make $3,989,122.

As Dan Martin of The New York Post writes, Thomas had an excellent offensive performance in Brooklyn’s season opener vs. Cleveland, getting the Nets back in the game by pouring in 36 points (on 13-of-21 shooting) in just 25 minutes off the bench. He missed his final attempt at the end of the game, however, and the Nets lost by one point.

“It felt good, obviously,” Thomas said of his performance. “Obviously, you want to win, but it’s good to always reflect on what you do well.”

Sharpe, meanwhile, played 12 minutes in his 2023/24 debut, notching four points, two rebounds and two blocks. He appeared in 80 games for Brooklyn over the past two seasons, averaging 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest.

The full list of decisions on 2024/25 rookie scale team options can be found right here.

New York Notes: Simmons, Thomas, Exhibition Game, Toppin

October 10th, 2023 at 7:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The initial returns on Ben Simmons‘ comeback from the back ailment that wrecked his 2022/23 season were encouraging, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets guard had 10 points, three assists and a steal in 14 first-half minutes against the Lakers on Monday.

“[It felt] amazing. That’s really it, just amazing,” Simmons said. “Happy to be out there, and compete, and feel good out there and able to contribute like I know how I can. So I felt great. It’s the best in two years for sure.”

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In the same game, Cam Thomas led the Nets with 26 points. His other contributions were more noteworthy to coach Jacque Vaughn as Thomas tries to secure a rotation spot, Lewis writes in a separate story. “He can flat out score the basketball,” Vaughn said. “I look at the other things, and he knows that. What were the box outs? Was he running hard? Is he communicating with his teammates? Did he know where he was supposed to be on the floor? So those things he’s really taken strides in and give him a lot of credit. And with credit comes playing time.” Thomas’ $2,240,160 salary for this season was picked up by the club last year. The Nets hold a $4,041,249 option on his contract for next season and must make a decision on it this month.
Despite the war in Israel, the Nets’ preseason game against Maccabi Ra’anana is still expected to take place Thursday at Barclays Center. The exhibition hasn’t been cancelled or delayed, Lewis tweets.
There’s still a Toppin on the Knicks, though he’s a long shot to make the roster. While the front office traded away his brother Obi to Indiana, Jacob Toppin is trying to prove he’s an NBA player, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News writes. “He’s my brother, but he has his own path and I have my own path, and this whole process, I’ve been trying to focus on myself and be better every single day and that’s what I’ve been doing,” Jacob said. “This whole summer is just working to be a better version of myself everyday. So, that’s what I’ve been focused on.” The younger Toppin signed an Exhibit 10 deal after going undrafted out of Kentucky. He’s likely to wind up with the G League’s Westchester Knicks.

Atlantic Notes: Achiuwa, Raptors, Claxton, Thomas, Knicks

October 6th, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa suffered a left groin strain in training camp and will miss Sunday’s preseason opener, per the team (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca). The 24-year-old will be reevaluated next week.

We’ll have to wait for more information on the severity of the injury, but it’s a disappointing development for Achiuwa, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 23.

The forward/center averaged 9.2 PPG and 6.0 RPG on .485/.269/.702 shooting in 55 games (20.7 MPG) in 2022/23. Hopefully the groin strain is minor and doesn’t negatively impact his fourth season.

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The Raptors‘ success — both now and going forward — depends on the development of Scottie Barnes and his relationship with new head coach Darko Rajakovic, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Rajakovic said Toronto is going to lean into Barnes’ play-making ability, but the team knows he needs to improve in other areas as well. As Grange writes, the two have clicked since they first met. “I feel like we’re gonna be on a long ride together,” Barnes said of Rajakovic. “We’re going to make amazing things happen.”
Nets center Nic Claxton, who is on an expiring $9.6MM contract, is embracing high expectations following a breakout fourth season, writes Dan Martin of The New York Post. Claxton averaged career highs in virtually every statistical category in 2022/23 and has put on muscle for ’23/24. “We have a lot of guys here that if we win collectively, they have things that they can prove,” Spencer Dinwiddie said Thursday. “The thing I’d love to see most is Nic get his $100 million (contract), because I’ve seen him come in the league.”
While Claxton is looking to improve upon his already-strong performance from last season for the Nets, the fate of third-year guard Cam Thomas is much less certain, per NetsDaily.com. Head coach Jacque Vaughn says the team won’t be relying on isolation scoring this season, which is Thomas’ greatest strength. “He does have a skill of being able to play isolation basketball and get a bucket. That’s proven,” said Vaughn. “I don’t think we can play isolation basketball and win basketball games on a consistent basis. I think this team is built around the versatility and the depth of the team, and we’ll have to use all that, while also agreeing and notifying the rest of the group that there are some individuals who (are) going to have the basketball in their hands and they have a talent. (Thomas) has a talent that’s going to be used on both ends of the floor, and that’s what he’s going to be asked of.”
The Knicks improved their depth by trading for Josh Hart last season (he signed an extension this offseason after picking up his player option) and signing Donte DiVincenzo in free agency. However, as Fred Katz writes for The Athletic, there are only so many minutes to go around. How Hart, DiVincenzo, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes perform defensively might determine who among that group will be closing on a given night, according to Katz.

Nets Notes: Bridges, Dragic, Claxton, Thomas

April 20th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Kevin Durant deal that shook up the NBA on the eve of the trade deadline never would have happened if the Suns hadn’t included Mikal Bridges, Nets general manager Sean Marks tells Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Marks had come to the realization that it was time to end the super-team experiment in Brooklyn that brought together Durant, Kyrie Irving and eventually James Harden. Durant was the last of the trio to be moved, and Marks wanted to create the foundation of a young team that could remain competitive while building for the future. The centerpiece of that was Bridges, who has become a star in Brooklyn, averaging 26.1 PPG in 27 games since the trade.

“We knew the end of an era was upon us,” Marks said. “When Kyrie had already moved, the discussions with Phoenix heated up and it became real, like, ‘All right, well, there’s a shift happening here, right? Are we resetting, retooling, rebuilding?’ We were able to come to terms with that knowing that the package we were getting back in return was something that has a clear pathway.

“We’ve never sort of had a group of young guys before that were under contract, proven, healthy and you can see a pathway of, ‘Hey, I can see what this may look like in two, three years from now.’ … Not just Mikal, but all of them, where do they all take their games to? Who’s the next person that takes that leap?”

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Veteran guard Goran Dragic is the latest player to indicate that there was significant behind-the-scenes turmoil with the Nets, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Dragic, who finished last season in Brooklyn, said he had an offer to stay but he chose to sign with the Bulls to get away from the drama. “I could have re-signed with Brooklyn, but I didn’t want to be in that situation, because it was a little bit crazy,” Dragic said. “I just tried to find a team that’s calmer and to be more stable. I thought that would be with Chicago.”
Facing Joel Embiid is a difficult matchup for Nic Claxton, so coach Jacque Vaughn wants him to use his speed to his advantage, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Claxton needs to find a way to get some easy baskets after being held scoreless Monday.
Vaughn wouldn’t commit to playing Cam Thomas in Game 3, Lewis tweets. The second-year guard wasn’t used at all in Game 2 after seeing four minutes in the series opener. “It’s always at the disposal of someone not getting minutes, and so who is that?” Vaughn asked. “Is that Spencer (Dinwiddie)? Is that Cam Johnson? Is that Mikal Bridges? Everyone is available to play it and in the wheelhouse to be prepared if their number is called.”

Eastern Notes: Hampton, Hart, Thomas, Brown

February 26th, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons were interested in R.J. Hampton leading up to the 2020 draft and even held an in-person interview with him, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports in a subscriber-only story.

Hampton, the 24th pick of that draft, wound up in a Pistons uniform this month after getting waived by Orlando. He played five scoreless minutes in his Detroit debut on Saturday but is glad to join GM Troy Weaver’s club.

“Troy’s a great dude,” the Pistons’ newcomer said. “Somebody that’s real, somebody that expects a lot from his players but also knows what it means to develop young guys. That’s something I look forward to, being in an organization that takes the time with players, takes the time to figure out the areas that they’re really good in and weaknesses and coming together and making it all fit. I think he’s great in that aspect and I’m excited about it.”

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Josh Hart admits he had some trepidation about being traded by Portland to the Knicks, wondering how he’d mesh with coach Tom Thibodeau. Hart has been pleasantly surprised, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. “Coming here I didn’t exactly know how Thibs’ system was. But it worked out,” Hart said. He’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists with his new team. Hart holds a $12.96MM option on his contract for next season, which he’s expected to turn down.
Cam Thomas scored 22 points off the bench for the Nets on Sunday in a loss to the Hawks. Thomas is averaging 26.1 points per game this month but coach Jacque Vaughn says he’ll continue to use Thomas as an instant offense reserve, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
The Knicks won’t have to deal with the Celtics’ second-leading scorer when the teams square off on Monday. Jaylen Brown is taking the night off for personal reasons, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston tweets.

New York Notes: Rose, Barrett, Bridges, Thomas

February 26th, 2023 at 8:34am CST by Luke Adams

Responding to rumors that he’d be pursued by the Suns if he reaches a buyout agreement with the Knicks, point guard Derrick Rose told reporters on Saturday that he hasn’t “talked to anybody” about seeking a buyout.

“I haven’t even thought about it. I’m locked in to my thing right now. It’s kind of hard to think about something that I’ve never pursued and never talked about with them,” Rose said, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “… Y’all heard something? I’ve just been locked in, doing my recovery. (I) talk to (head coach Tom Thibodeau) about the team, talk to (president) Leon (Rose) about the team, but other than that, I haven’t talked to them about (a buyout).”

Players who are waived on or before March 1 retain their playoff eligibility if they sign with a new team before the end of the regular season, so if Rose is going to be bought out it would probably have to happen in the next few days. However, the former MVP gave no indication that he’ll have a last-minute change of heart, pointing out that family considerations also factor into his desire to remain in New York — his son plays for the Gauchos AAU team in Manhattan, according to Botte.

“Exactly. He loves it over here. I’d probably have to talk it over with him, even before Thibs,” Rose joked.

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After finding himself on the bench during the final eight minutes of a win over Washington on Friday, Knicks wing RJ Barrett bounced back nicely on Saturday, pouring in 25 points in 29 minutes and putting up a season-high seven assists. As Andrew Crane of the New York Post relays, Thibodeau praised Barrett’s play-making and “all-around play,” though he didn’t rule out the possibility of keeping the former No. 3 pick out of closing lineups going forward. “It’s going to be what goes well, but RJ’s obviously a very important part of the team,” Thibodeau said.
New Nets forward Mikal Bridges is viewing the trade that sent him from Phoenix to Brooklyn in the most positive possible light, as he tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It’s kind of cool just be part of this and go through that whole trade process,” Bridges said, noting that he has always wanted to try living in New York. “Just midseason going to a whole other team, different concepts, people are different. It’s just a whole other city. It’s kind of cool to me, honestly, just see what you’re made of. I know it’s not easy and I’m not going to be the person that dwells on it and (is) upset about it. I just want to take action.”
Nets guard Cam Thomas saw his playing time dip a little after the trade deadline, but he logged 30 minutes in Friday’s loss to Chicago and may be needed to help kickstart Brooklyn’s slumping offense, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas had a team-high 22 points and made 3-of-6 three-pointers.

Nets Notes: Depth, Mills, Thomas, Drummond

February 17th, 2023 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets‘ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades earlier this month significantly reduced the team’s star power but have created a deeper roster, resulting in difficult decisions for head coach Jacque Vaughn, as Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post writes.

With Seth Curry back in action on Wednesday following a five-game absence due to a left adductor strain, the Vaughn and the Nets employed a 10-man rotation that left out a couple players who have had regular roles for much of the season. As Sanchez writes, there was no room in that 10-man rotation for Edmond Sumner or Yuta Watanabe in addition to Day’Ron Sharpe or Patty Mills.

Vaughn is happy to use 10 of the Nets’ 14 players (not counting two-ways) for the time being, but expects to tighten the rotation further this spring.

“We’re playing 10 guys right now,” Vaughn said on Wednesday. “Eventually that’s going to whittle down to nine or eight as you get into the playoffs, but I think that’s the biggest thing is being able to utilize the depth.”

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Although he’s one of the odd men out of the Nets’ new rotation, Mills said he likes the look of the roster in the wake of the trade deadline and remains confident in the team’s chances to make the playoffs. In a conversation with Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the veteran guard made multiple references to the character of the locker room and the off-court bonds between Nets players. “Genuinely, you look around the room and we’ve just got really solid dudes,” Mills said. “(Potential) friendships, (where) you can talk and you can go outside of the basketball court, which I think at the end of the day makes a real impact on what we can do on the court.”
Given the opportunity to take on a larger role, Nets guard Cam Thomas scored 134 points in a three-game span earlier this month, but he has seen his minutes dip again within the last week, averaging just 19.8 MPG in Brooklyn’s last three games. Thomas, who expressed frustration with his limited playing time early in the season, doesn’t sound thrilled about once again taking a step back, Sanchez writes for The New York Post. “It’s tough,” Thomas said. “From doing one thing and trying to adjust to the team because that’s just what you got to do. It’s tough for sure. So just got to figure it out.”
Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Bulls center Andre Drummond admitted that he would’ve liked to re-sign with the Nets as a free agent last summer, but turned to the “next best option” when things didn’t work out with Brooklyn. “I definitely wanted to come back, but I think they were going in a different direction, so there was nothing I could really do about that,” said Drummond, who was the Nets’ starting center down the stretch and in the playoffs last spring.

New York Notes: Rose, Robinson, Hart, Brunson, Thomas, Simmons

February 12th, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Derrick Rose, who hasn’t been in the Knicks’ rotation, wasn’t involved in a deal at the trade deadline, but it doesn’t appear Rose will seek a buyout, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.

Rose is content to being a team leader and mentoring the Knicks’ younger players. “It’s still the same thing. I’m still locked in with the team, talking to the guys, mentoring,” he said.

However, a source told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that Rose wouldn’t totally dismiss the possibility of a buyout if there was a team in need of a veteran point guard. The former MVP is signed through next season but there’s a team option on his $15,596,339 salary.

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Mitchell Robinson is progressing well, but the Knicks center won’t return from his thumb injury prior to the All-Star break, Bondy tweets. Robinson, in the first year of a four-year, $60MM contract, has been out of action since Jan. 18.
Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson were teammates at Villanova and now they’ve been reunited with Hart being traded from Portland. Brunson believes Hart will make the Knicks grittier, Braziller writes. “He’s a tough-minded guy,” Brunson said. “He doesn’t back down from a challenge and that’s how he is and that’s how he’s been. I’m not worried at all. He’s going to fit in.”
Cam Thomas strung together three 40-point games this month but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the starting lineup, Dan Martin of the New York Post notes. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to sort through all the changes in the roster. Thomas played 18 minutes and scored 14 points against Philadelphia on Saturday. “We’ve seen him garner a lot of attention as a starter, so I don’t think that changes,” Vaughn said. “It will be great to see that against the second unit. He’s a guy we can put the ball in his hand when we need a bucket. He has confidence to come off the bench and score.”
Ben Simmons‘ former coach, the Sixers’ Doc Rivers, believes Simmons can regain his All-Star level form with the Nets now that Kyrie Irving has been traded, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I believe he can get back to where he was with us, especially now, I think, because he will have the ball in his hands more,” Rivers said. “I thought that’s what we did that really kind of freed him up. But it’s just going to take time. Now, what has it been, a year and a half? I don’t think it’ll be overnight. But he’s working, and that’s all you can do.”