Following his eighth game since being moved from the Nets‘ starting lineup to the bench, Cam Thomas was asked after Monday’s loss to Miami whether he has gained a feel for the rotation patterns and whether he’s gained a “comfortability” with them. Thomas quickly replied with a blunt “no,” then paused for a few seconds before continuing (Twitter video link via Erik Slater of Clutch Points).
“I mean, it could change,” Thomas said. “I’m just doing my job. I’m just doing what I need to do when I get out there to produce. No, I don’t really have no comfortability coming off the bench or starting. Whatever (head coach Jacque Vaughn) wants me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Thomas subsequently clarified that he meant he doesn’t feel any complacency, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Thomas has had a few big nights since moving back to the bench, including scoring 26 points last Thursday and 23 on Monday. But he has also had 0-for-11 and 0-for-7 performances during that eight-game stretch and is shooting just .339/.263/.700 since being removed from the starting five. Brooklyn has lost seven of those eight contests.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Veteran Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie continues to start, but played a limited role for a second straight game on Monday, logging just 20 minutes after playing only 16 on Thursday in Cleveland. As Lewis of The New York Post notes, Dennis Smith Jr. has been one beneficiary of Vaughn’s rotation tweaks — Smith played 32 minutes on Monday. “I’ve always talked about this being performance-based,” Vaughn said. “I thought Dennis had a good attack for us defensively. We’re just in a position right now where you have to perform, and that’s across the board. So that’s a challenge to the entire group from the beginning of the game to the end to be locked-in and to give everything you have on both ends of the floor.”
- After Lonnie Walker scored 20 points in 25 minutes in last Thursday’s loss to the Cavs, Jared Schwartz of The New York Post wondered if the Nets might need to make more room for the veteran wing in the rotation. However, Walker has gone scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting in 21 total minutes in his other three appearances since returning from a hamstring injury.
- Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson missed a second consecutive game on Monday due to a calf contusion, but his return doesn’t appear far off. Head coach Tom Thibodeau suggested that the issue is more about “pain tolerance” than concern about the risk of re-injury, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “It’s day-to-day,” Thibodeau said. “It’s a little better today. When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
- With Brunson unavailable, Miles McBride got another start at point guard and set a new career high in points for the second time in three days, putting up 20 in a loss to Orlando. However, he blamed himself for the loss, citing his game management in a fourth quarter in which the Knicks scored just 16 points, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “I’d say it’s my fault as a point guard. I needed to get everybody where they needed to be and manage the game a little bit better at the end,” McBride said. “… I gotta make sure I get everybody where they need to be and take control.”
If the Nets consider Lonnie Walker a Wing, they’re in BIG trouble. No wonder we give up so many points…
What else would you call him? In basketball the term wing is used interchangeably to refer to small forwards and shooting guards, Walker has played shooting guard his entire career therefore he is a wing.
What else would I call him? He’s a 2-Guard with the skill-set of a shot creator due to his level of perimeter isolation plays.
Guess what? Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Thomas, and Dennis Smith, Jr fall into the same category.
Ben Simmons is a Wing – big, slender Forward. He’s not a Guard, but his handles are comparable to a Guard. He’s a hybrid of a primary ball-handler, athletic finisher, and a roll-and-cut Big.
And no, Kemba Walker did NOT play 2-Guard his entire career. With his penchant for pick-and-roll, he’s initiating offense. If he ever had a guy as talented as a 2-Guard like Luka or Harden back in the day, Kemba would’ve shined very brightly. That’s a conversation for another day
The sooner Jacque Vaughn realizes Cam Thomas should start at PG instead of Spencer, the better off we’ll be to win games. I love Dinwiddie, but it’s getting close to the time for Sean Marks to trade him for the best available package
It’s tough for Nets from super team to Mid in less than 12 months. Either Vaughn is right and Thomas is not a lead scoring player, and is benching him to deflate his ego. Or he’s completely wrong and crushing his progression for reasons only he knows.
They really need that offensive scorer because every player they have is a very good role player. They have assets to make a splash. They can’t afford to tank so they should make the move sooner rather than later.
At this point, Dinwiddie isn’t good enough to be anything more than a salary dump. Maybe if they included him with other desirable assets they could get a piece, but by himself, Dinwiddie is a net neutral asset at absolute best this season. Shooting below 40% from the field with extremely mid defense for a guy his size has killed most of his value. Plus he’s currently playing through injury.
And I would NOT want Thomas as a PG. He can really score, but he turns the ball over at basically the same rate that he assists, and has since college. The Nets defense also craters with him on the floor. In addition, a PG has to be able to create their own offense in addition to their teammates. Cam is shooting 38% on unassisted 2s and 29% on pull-up 3s. He isn’t a PG, and shouldn’t be.
There’s plenty of hope for Thomas to progress, but I can’t see him becoming a point guard. He’s just *better* off-ball and as a play finisher than a play maker.
To follow this up, I can see Thomas becoming a more offensively-skilled version of what Avery Bradley became for the Post-Big 3 Boston Celtics. He’s very similar to Bradley in terms of size and body type (about an inch taller, but a slightly smaller wingspan), and in term of athleticism, and both were guys who played well off-ball but couldn’t really make plays for others, and have a similar ast/tov profile. If Thomas can get to that level of defense and off-ball scoring, he could be a borderline All-Star, maybe even a full-fledged one if he gets better at self-creation.