Cam Thomas is getting a fresh start with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Doc Rivers is encouraged by his first two showings.
Wednesday night’s action between the Bucks and the Orlando Magic was talk of the NBA, solely due to Cam Thomas’ big night. The veteran checked into the game for 25 minutes, and he didn’t waste a single one.
Taking 20 shots from the field (more than anybody on the Bucks), Thomas made 12 of his field goals. Four of his makes were from beyond the arc. He went to the charity stripe for six shots and was perfect. The veteran guard finished with 34 points, which marked a game high.
After the matchup, Doc Rivers didn’t hold back with his message. Coaching some incredible scorers throughout his career, Rivers placed Thomas’ name in some elite company.
“I’ve had Jamal Crawford. I had Lou Williams… And now, I have Cam Thomas,” Rivers told reporters after the game.
The Bucks eased Thomas’ way in for his first game, giving him 13 minutes of action off the bench. During that time, Thomas went 1-5 from the field to score four points. He also had one rebound, one assist, and one turnover.
The training wheels were off for game two. Now, the struggling Bucks hope that they can get Thomas to hit the ground running after they defeated the Magi 116-108.
There’s no secret that Thomas can be an effective scorer on a nightly basis. Since picking up well over 20 minutes of playing time on average with the Brooklyn Nets in 2023-2024, Thomas proved he could be a 20-plus-point scorer on a nightly basis.
But the Nets clearly didn’t believe in Thomas long-term. When they had a chance to give him an extension, they didn’t. When Thomas was a restricted free agent, the qualifying offer from Brooklyn was the only deal on the table. After seeing the court for 24 games this year, Thomas and the Nets parted ways right after the trade deadline.
He chose to go to the Bucks, who showed interest in him throughout the peak negotiating window while the trade market was still open. The Bucks didn’t have to give up any player or pick to get Thomas, and clearly, the projections for the veteran forward are intriguing in Milwaukee.