Inside The Nets

Cam Thomas believes coming off the bench is limiting his ceiling as a scorer

Cameron Thomas has transitioned to playing off the bench.

Peter Sunjic

© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Coach Jacque Vaughn relegated Cameron Thomas back to the bench because of the latter’s defensive issues and the team’s lack of ball movement. It has not been a successful change because the Nets have lost often in the past ten games.

During this stretch as a reserve, Cam is scoring 15.7 points per game on a poor 38.6% from the field. That is a far cry from what he was averaging as a starter, which was 22.8 points per game on an efficient 45.3% from the field. There is a clear difference between him being with the first unit and coming off the bench. Thomas agrees with that sentiment because he’s better as a starter at this point.

“Yeah, obviously the consistent part of my game is not going to be as it was early in the year because I was starting, so you can’t really expect too many 20, 30-point games from me coming off the bench with this kind of minutes,” Cam said to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

The Nets can win more games if Cam is a starter

With Cam scoring 20+ points as a starter, the offense looks better when he’s firing. Even when he’s going one-on-one against a defender, that opens more looks for his teammates in future possessions.

Thomas has also improved as a playmaker as of late. Against the Los Angeles Clippers, the former LSU Tiger tied his career high of six assists as he was making pinpoint bounce passes and lobs to Nic Claxton. This evolution into a playmaker is what Nets fans want to see from their youngster because he is unlocking another part of his game.

Cam just wants to do this job

Despite his preference to be a starter, Cam will keep his head down and play whenever Coach Vaughn calls him. The 22-year-old is still willing to learn from playing different roles, a sign of a great teammate and a coachable player.

“Maybe it’ll change soon. I get back in the lineup; then you can see more consistency from me in the scoring part. But I’ve just got to do my job, man. Whatever he wants me to do,” Thomas said.

For Vaughn, it might be better for him to consider other options for the starting lineup. The starters are struggling, and the team might need a boost with Cam entering the starting group again.

Rumors: Nets keeping an eye on Raptors' wing Gary Trent Jr.

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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