Inside The Nets

Cam Thomas on being moved to the bench: "It's about the team"

Thomas lost a spot in the starting lineup to Dorian Finney-Smith.

Peter Sunjic

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Citing the need to address the team's size, defense, and early game slumps, head coach Jacque Vaughn removed the Brooklyn Nets' leading scorer Cam Thomas from the starting lineup against the Washington Wizards.

Vaughn replaced Thomas with Dorian Finney-Smith. However, the Nets still lost 110-104, falling to 15-17 on the season.

Prioritizing the team's needs

Losing his place in the starting five came as a surprise for Cam. Still, the talented guard took it professionally.

For the greater benefit of the team and for the sake of winning, Thomas assured that he'll embrace whatever role the Nets head coach has for him.

“At the end of the day, I’m just doing my job,” Thomas said, after dropping 15 points in 24 minutes against Washington. 

“As a competitor, obviously I want to be out there steady. We got a lot of guys who could contribute at any moment. But you know, it’s just what comes to the team at this point. So I just have to accept it and excel in whatever role I’m in,” he added.

Brooklyn's No.1 scorer

This season, the 23-year-old has established himself as the Nets' go-to guy on offense. In 23 games player, Thomas has averaged 22.5 points on 36.4 percent from three, which made Jacque's decision even more surprising.

“Like I told you, before the New Year, [it] would probably happen. And at the first time out, we did have a lead at that time. Finished the quarter even,” Vaughn said. “The numbers, they are what they are. That group that was previously starting … I was hoping that we’d be able to be so good offensively that it would cover up some of the holes defensively and just hadn’t, and so that’s what forced to change.”

The lineup of Cam, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Nic Claxton was one of the least efficient in the entire Association. It remains to be seen if removing Thomas changes that.

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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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