Cam Thomas

Nets Notes: Roberts, Play-In, Bridges, Thomas

February 28th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Long Island Nets guard Terry Roberts was shot in the chest on Sunday outside a bar in Philadelphia, but after arriving at a local hospital in critical condition, he has since been taken off a ventilator and is expected to recover, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“Terry Roberts was the victim of a crime on Sunday morning in Philadelphia, and we are in the process of gathering more information about the incident,” Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate said in a statement.

“He is currently in stable condition, and he is expected to make a full recovery. Our thoughts are with him and family at this time. Due to the ongoing law enforcement investigation, we will have no further comment.”

As the statement indicates, the shooting is still under investigation, but police confirmed Roberts was not involved in the altercation. The former Georgia guard went undrafted last year and has spent his first pro season playing for Long Island.

Here’s more on the Nets:

While Brooklyn has struggled mightily the past few months, the team still has a shot at a play-in berth, currently trailing No. 10 Atlanta by four games with 24 games remaining. As Lewis writes in another story, the Nets host the Hawks on Thursday and Saturday, presenting an opportunity to gain ground — or nearly fall out of the postseason picture altogether. “We’ve got to win both of the games,” backup center Day’Ron Sharpe said. “We need both of them, because we’re trying to get into the playoffs. So we’re going to come in and fully focus so we can win both of the games so that we can make the playoffs.“
A big part of the team’s most recent stretch of poor play, particularly on offense, is due to the struggles of Mikal Bridges, Lewis adds. The Nets’ leading scorer has been in a miserable slump of late, including missing 26 of his last 28 three-pointers, and has a plus/minus of minus-78 over the past five games. “I feel like when I’m open, you know, I’m going to take threes. They all feel good, it’s just not going in unfortunately, which is not fun,” Bridges said. “Just continue to take what the defense gives me, keep being aggressive. Only way to get out of this slump is to keep shooting.”
Brooklyn’s second-leading scorer, Cam Thomas, will be sidelined for Thursday’s contest with a right ankle/midfoot sprain, according to Lewis (Twitter links). He’s considered day-to-day, which confirms the injury is relatively minor.

Injury Notes: Embiid, Ayton, Thomas, George

February 28th, 2024 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers continue to believe that star center Joel Embiid, who underwent surgery on the meniscus in his left knee earlier this month, should be able to return to the court before the end of the regular season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Tuesday during an appearance on NBA Today (YouTube link).

“They still are optimistic that they can get him back,” Wojnarowski said. “I think there’s some hope that they can get him back on the court by sometime in late March, back starting to get into condition. The goal here isn’t necessarily to try to bring him back and see how many regular season games you might be able to win with him. The goal is to get him as healthy as he can be for the postseason.”

When the Sixers announced Embiid’s procedure on February 6, they said he would be reevaluated in four weeks. As Wojnarowski notes, that means we’re still about a week away from the team providing a more official update on the reigning MVP’s progress and possible timeline.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

X-rays on Deandre Ayton‘s sprained right hand came back negative, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups said on Tuesday after Ayton left the team’s loss to Miami early (Twitter link via Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report). However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Portland center is in the clear. “I think there will be some further testing because he was in quite a bit of pain,” Billups said (link via ESPN).
Nets guard Cam Thomas underwent an MRI on his sprained right ankle on Tuesday, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. While the results haven’t yet been announced, Thomas said on Monday that he doesn’t believe this ankle injury is as severe as the one that cost him nine games in November.
The Clippers will be without star forward Paul George for a second straight game due to left knee soreness, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Head coach Tyronn Lue said that George didn’t practice on Tuesday and wouldn’t be available on Wednesday vs. the Lakers after having sat out Sunday’s loss to Sacramento.

Nets Notes: Thomas, Simmons, Ollie, Offense

February 27th, 2024 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets guard Cam Thomas was forced to exit Monday’s game early due to a right ankle sprain and has been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest in Orlando, but he said that he doesn’t think this injury is as significant as the one that cost him nearly a month earlier in the season, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“That’s the way it feels, less severe,” said Thomas, who missed nine games in November due to a left ankle sprain. “I should be fine.”

According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link), Thomas underwent an X-ray on the injured ankle on Monday night and the results came back negative.

“Yeah, I mean I’m able to walk on it, so it’s not bad,” Thomas said. “We’ll take it day by day. But it’s not as bad as last time, so I’m not really concerned.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

As expected, Ben Simmons has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. the Magic due to left lower back injury maintenance, tweets Lewis. Simmons didn’t suffer a setback in his 14 minutes of action on Monday, but hasn’t yet been cleared to play both ends of back-to-back sets. “I think I’m getting closer,” Simmons said on Monday. “So hopefully (soon).”
Kevin Ollie earned his first win as the Nets’ head coach on Monday, as Brooklyn registered a 111-86 victory over the Grizzlies.“Yeah, I got the game ball. It’ll go in my office first. Definitely gonna touch it and put it up for my mom in heaven and my sister in heaven,” Ollie said after the win, according to Lewis. “I know they were watching over me in this first win. So definitely gonna raise it up and toast to them.” Ollie replaced Jacque Vaughn over the All-Star break and lost his first two games as the Nets’ interim head coach.
Prior to Monday’s game, the Nets’ 105.5 offensive rating in February was tied for the worst mark in the NBA. However, as Lewis details for The New York Post, Ollie was confident that Brooklyn’s recent offensive struggles were more about players missing shots they’d normally make rather than a fundamental issue with the team’s system. “It’s just still understanding each other’s strengths,” Ollie said after Saturday’s loss in Minnesota. “… The offense was giving us great looks. I mean, (Cameron Johnson) missed a couple of them, perfect plays and perfect ball movement, peel and play, which just is what we want. So we’ve just got to make sure that we make those shots, and I think it’ll turn around.” The Nets scored 119.4 points per 100 possessions in Monday’s win.

Nets Notes: Struggles, Johnson, Bridges, Koch Family

February 23rd, 2024 at 6:52pm CST by Rory Maher

In their first game under interim head coach Kevin Ollie on Thursday in Toronto, the Nets had yet another listless performance, losing by 28 points to the Raptors, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ollie replaced Jacque Vaughn, who was fired in part due to the team’s lack of energy and effort, with Brooklyn just 8-24 over its past 32 games.

Ollie made playing with energy and hustle a priority in his first practice on Tuesday, but the Nets repeatedly failed to get back in transition in the blowout loss, Lewis notes, losing the fast-break points battle 46-10.

“We didn’t make shots, but their effort, their energy, loose balls, offensive rebounds, beat us in probably every area,” said Ollie. “And giving up 46 fast-break points and not being able to stop them and limit them in half-court situations was a killer for us.”

Here are a few more notes out of Brooklyn:

Ollie made a change to the starting lineup on Thursday, moving fifth-year forward Cameron Johnson to the bench, Lewis writes in another story. The starting five consisted of Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nic Claxton. It was only the second time Johnson has come off the bench this season, with the first coming just before the All-Star break in his first game back from an adductor injury. The 27-year-old, who re-signed with the Nets on a lucrative long-term contract last summer, finished with six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes.
Appearing on the podcast (Roommates Show) of his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, who now play for the Knicks, Nets wing Mikal Bridges compared the two teams’ situations unprompted, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link), who wonders if Bridges would ever consider asking out of Brooklyn. “I know people might want to think about different situations and teams,” Bridges said. “Obviously, I’ve got my boys over there in New York, so everybody goes with that. ….” Bridges went on to say he wanted to keep playing for the Nets, despite their struggles. Bondy acknowledges that “it’s entirely plausible — and understandable — if the Nets simply refuse to trade their best player across the river,” but argues that if it was a possibility for New York, it’d be an idea worth pursuing.
Billionaire Julia Koch is negotiating to buy a minority stake in the Nets, per Lewis and Josh Kosman of The New York Post. Koch’s son David Koch Jr. would also be involved. The stake could be as high as 15%, from majority owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai. According to The Post, Julia has an estimated net worth of $60-65 billion, which would make her the second-wealthiest woman in the world and only trailing Clippers owner Steve Ballmer in the NBA.

Atlantic Notes: Ollie, Thomas, Beverley, Lowry, Raptors

February 22nd, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Ollie will offer some strategic changes when he makes his debut as head coach of the Nets tonight in Toronto, but he’s focused mainly on bringing a new attitude to the team, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ollie, who came to Brooklyn as an assistant at the start of the season, was promoted to the job on an interim basis after Jacque Vaughn was fired Monday.

“The biggest thing is playing for each other and making the right plays,” Ollie said. “Not being selfish, getting the ball to the guys that we need to get the ball to in their right spots where they can be very successful. Just playing the right way, and we need to do that more consistently. So that’s not a scheme change or anything, that’s just playing better basketball, doing simple better.”

Ollie is expected to emphasize better spacing on offense, Lewis adds. That has been a problem, especially in the limited time that Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton have been on the court together. Lewis notes that Brooklyn is minus-34 and is shooting just 42.6% as a team in the duo’s 69 total minutes this season.

“You have to be able to space, you have to be able to cut, you have to be able to play together. We have to get out and rebound and get stops so they can play with pace and play in transition offense,” Ollie said. “So all those things count. But when it gets bogged down in a half-court situation, we haven’t had that situation where one’s up, one’s down and how they play off each other is crucial. So that’s why it’s so good for practice time.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

With Ollie in charge of the Nets, Cam Thomas should get a fresh chance to prove that he’s worthy of a starting role, Lewis states in a separate story. The explosive guard is averaging 21.2 PPG, but Vaughn often limited his playing time due to concerns about defense and energy. Thomas thought the report of a coaching change was a prank when he read about it on the internet, and he didn’t believe the story until general manager Sean Marks confirmed it. “We didn’t get enough wins. … And [we were] dropping some games, not playing as hard,” Thomas said. “It’s on both parties, coaches, players, front office, everybody. Got to look at yourself in the mirror; so that’s just what we got to do.”
Patrick Beverley has been taking shots at his former team on his podcast since being traded to Milwaukee, but the Sixers are choosing to ignore them, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Coach Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry, who’s taking over Beverley’s role in Philadelphia, have been among the targets. “I’m not a podcast watcher, but he’s a friend of mine and that’s his competitive nature,” Lowry said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play against him, as always.”
Eric Koreen of The Athletic looks at late-season storylines to watch for the Raptors, including whether tanking will be an option, the roles for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, and which players will show that they should be re-signed this summer.

Nets Notes: Vaughn, Ollie, Marks, Bridges, Budenholzer

February 21st, 2024 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Tuesday to reporters, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Nets general manager Sean Marks said there wasn’t a single event or game that made the team decide to fire head coach Jacque Vaughn. While some Brooklyn players expressed frustration following a December 27 loss in which the team sat several regulars, as well as after last Wednesday’s 50-point blowout loss in Boston, Marks pointed to a general lack of energy and effort when asked for specifics on what went into the decision to dismiss Vaughn.

“It’s about the level of compete,” Marks said. “We’re not going to be the most talented team in the league. I’m not an idiot. I totally understand that. But at the same time, this is a talented group of young men out there. And my expectations, and I think their expectations, should be to hold each other accountable to do the little things. The effort plays, the loose balls, the contested shots and so forth, diving on the floor.

“These are things that should be expected when you’re in a place that we’re at right now, where we’re clawing and grappling for every single thing we can. That’s what I would hope to see over these next 28 games, and that’s probably, to be quite frank, some things I haven’t seen. The level of effort and the level of compete has not always been there.”

New interim head coach Kevin Ollie made that lack of energy and hustle a focus in his first practice with the club on Tuesday, as Bontemps details. Ollie pointed out that the Nets don’t recover enough loose balls or draw enough charges, referring to the team’s poor numbers in those categories as “losing basketball.”

“I got something called EGBs, which is energy generating behaviors, and it’s 17 behaviors of those things. And we went through the list extensively today,” Ollie said on Tuesday. “(They) have nothing to do with talent but everything to do with heart and will. And I think that’s what it comes down to.

“Remember, I played 15 years professionally, 13 years in this league, and never once (had) a coach call a play for me. I had to get it with grit. I had to get it with determination. I had to get it with a mindset that we’re going to get better each and every day. That’s how I coach, that’s what I’m going to demand. I want them to demand that from me, and that’s from day one.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Marks is under contract beyond this season, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv, and the veteran Nets executive has a close relationship with team owner Joe Tsai. Marks told reporters on Tuesday that he has been given no indication Tsai won’t keep him around to run the team’s latest head coaching search this spring. “Joe and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.”
Still, Marks’ future with the Nets has been a subject of speculation around the NBA, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said on the HoopsHype podcast with Brian Lewis of The New York Post. According to Scotto, in the event that Marks remains in Brooklyn, one possibility floated in league circles is a scenario in which the Nets promote assistant general manager Jeff Peterson to GM and give him more day-to-day responsibilities while Marks stays above him in the front office hierarchy.
Scotto and Lewis discussed many more Nets-related topics in the HoopsHype podcast, including the futures of players like Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, and Ben Simmons in Brooklyn, Scotto also said there were rumblings that certain players – including Mikal Bridges and former Net Spencer Dinwiddie – weren’t thrilled by the fact that Vaughn’s offensive game plan focused so heavily on Simmons, who hasn’t been healthy for most of his time in Brooklyn.
Bridges said on Tuesday that he wants to remain in Brooklyn long-term, per Dan Martin of The New York Post. “I’m here now and want to stay here,” Bridges said. “And I’m going to keep grinding and getting to wherever we’ve got to get to win, and that’s why I’m here for.” The Nets turned away trade inquiries this season on Bridges and their goal is to ultimately acquire a star or two to play alongside him, per Scotto.
In a pair of stories for The New York Post, Mike Vaccaro wonders what it will take for the Nets to move on from Marks, while Zach Braziller identifies several potential candidates for Brooklyn’s permanent head coaching job. That list begins with Mike Budenholzer, whose name is “at the tip of everyone’s tongue” in discussing possible candidates, according to Scotto.

New York Notes: DiVincenzo, Knicks’ Roster, Johnson, Bridges

February 15th, 2024 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks swingman Donte DiVincenzo would like to represent Italy in this year’s Summer Olympics but it apparently won’t happen.

“Ideally, I would love to,” DiVincenzo told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Logistically and how everything plays out, I don’t know if it’s possible. But if everything works out perfectly, I would love to.”

However, in a follow-up story, Bondy said he received an email from a representative from the Italian Basketball Federation stating that DiVincenzo couldn’t be added to the team.

“For the next Olympic Games there would not be the time to complete the procedures to provide him with an Italian passport,” Francesco D’Aniello wrote.

We have more on the New York teams:

The Knicks only have 13 players on standard contracts and need to add at least one more. According to Ian Begley of SNY TV, signing one – or more — of their G League players to a standard contract is a possibility. Charlie Brown Jr., Jacob Toppin and Duane Washington are currently on two-way deals and may be candidates for a promotion, while Taj Gibson, who is currently on a 10-day deal, could receive a rest-of-the-season contract, Begley adds.
Nets forward Cameron Johnson returned to action on Wednesday after missing four games with a left adductor strain. He came off the bench and played 18 minutes, contributed four points, three rebounds and two assists. Johnson started in all 40 of his previous appearances but Dorian Finney-Smith got the starting nod with Johnson on a minutes restriction. Coach Jacque Vaughn will have to choose between the two of them going forward, unless he wants to put Cam Thomas in a sixth man role again, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post,
The Nets’ last game before the All-Star break was a disaster, as they lost by 50 to the first-place Celtics. Forward Mikal Bridges told Lewis that the team shouldn’t forget about the loss. “Yeah, I mean you gotta learn and fix the issue; that’s pretty much what it is. You can’t just let this one go and think like, ‘Oh, like, let it drop.’ No,” he said. “Yeah, maybe if you lost towards the end, but you got beat by 50. It’s not just, ‘Let it go.’ A lot of (bleep) is not right, and you’ve got to fix it.”

Trade Rumors: Pelicans, Carter, Tate, Hayes, Nets

January 31st, 2024 at 11:40pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans are looking to shore up their frontcourt defense, but there aren’t many impact centers available on the trade market, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscriber link). Magic big man Wendell Carter Jr. has been floated as a potential trade candidate, but Clark hears there is some “doubt” about Orlando moving him this season.

New Orleans doesn’t appear to hold much interest in Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray, but Clark says the Pelicans would make a “significant offer” for Nets wing Mikal Bridges if were ever made available. Multiple reports have stated Brooklyn is not interested in moving the 27-year-old.

According to Clark, the Pelicans may look for help on the buyout market if they can’t find a trade they like. They have an open roster spot and have Malcolm Hill on a 10-day deal, Clark notes.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Suns have shown some level of interest in Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM has heard the opposite, tweeting that Phoenix isn’t interested in Tate. The 28-year-old is earning $6.5MM this season and has a $7.1MM team option for 2024/25.
Pistons guard Killian Hayes received a Did Not Play — Coach’s Decision for the first time this season in Wednesday’s loss vs. Cleveland. According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Hayes’ benching felt like “the unofficial end” of the former lottery pick’s time in Detroit, though it’s unclear if Hayes will be moved prior to the February 8 deadline or perhaps let go in the offseason. “It’s just hard to play four point guards,” head coach Monty Williams said. “(Marcus) Sasser is playing off ball just to get him on the floor. I talked to Killian (before the game) and told him this was the route I was going to go.” Edwards hears Detroit nearly traded Hayes last summer before hiring Williams, who was interested in working with the 22-year-old.
Multiple Nets players, including Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, have popped up in recent trade rumors. Cam Thomas says the team is doing its best to ignore the outside noise, as Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post relays. “Unspoken really, nobody really wants to talk about everybody’s situation,” Thomas said. “Everybody reads stuff, but I think it’s (an) unspoken (thing). Nobody talks about that kind of stuff. We’re just enjoying the moment that we have here and just playing together as a team. We playing well as a team. Everybody gets along, so we’re just enjoying the moment.“

Atlantic Notes: Porter, Porzingis, Thomas, Claxton

January 27th, 2024 at 11:09am CST by Tristan Tucker

A pathway to playing time for Jontay Porter quickly opened up after signing with the Raptors on a two-way contract in December, an opportunity he’s taking advantage of, writes Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange. Toronto traded away Precious Achiuwa, and then Jakob Poeltl got injured, resulting in Porter starting five games in a row for the Raptors.

Porter, 24, had a brief stint with the Grizzlies in 2020/21 but had his career set back by numerous knee injuries and hadn’t appeared in a game since May 2021. Now with the Raptors, some of his recent starts have been productive, including going for 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks against Chicago. He also had nine points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals against Utah.

“I’d have to write a book to write down all the things I’ve learned in this short period of time,” Porter said. “Every game, every matchup it seems like when I’m learning something new. A lot of the time it’s from mistakes I’m making, which, you know, it sucks to make mistakes, but at the same time, not having a lot of experience, I’m just happy to be out there. But I’m learning so that hopefully the next game out I can do better, eliminate those mistakes, and help our team win. But for the steady minutes and the steady gameplay, it’s just a blessing, man. And yeah, it’s been a lot of fun to just play basketball.”

Head coach Darko Rajakovic isn’t just handing out minutes, Grange writes, and Porter’s playing time will likely continue to fluctuate by virtue of the fact that he’s on a two-way contract. He’s also currently dealing with an eye injury. However, Grange points out that Rajakovic was an assistant in Memphis when Porter played there, and that level of comfortability helped Porter get acclimated.

“I like his game,” Rajakovic said. “I think he’s a young player with potential and definitely we want to give him a chance. We’re learning a lot about the team, we’re building a new team over here, so we’re going to give him a really good look, so we know what he’s got to do.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis sprained his ankle and left Boston’s Thursday game against the Heat midway through the third quarter. Porzingis went straight to the locker room and the sprain diagnosis was made minutes later, but according to ESPN, Porzingis said postgame he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. “I just went to contest Bam [Adebayo]‘s shot and just landed on his foot and rolled my ankle,” Porzingis said. “Not too bad. Got me pretty good in the moment. But feeling pretty good now.“
The Nets have experienced a handful of recent close losses and Cam Thomas is frustrated by the “same exact stuff” that’s plaguing them during this stretch, NetsDaily’s Lucas Kaplan writes. Thomas hasn’t been able to crack Brooklyn’s closing lineup and said his fourth quarter minutes seem to be “random.” Additionally, when asked whether most of Brooklyn’s issues came on offense or defense, Thomas said to “ask the coach.”
Nic Claxton squared off against Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns on Thursday as the Nets took on the Wolves, holding his own in the matchup and finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. “I think I’m a great big man,” Claxton said via the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly. “Any time I have a matchup like that, one of the quote unquote top centers in the league, I always take it personal to go out and be the best version of myself. I’m an extremely competitive person. I love basketball and I love to compete so I bring that every single night.“

Nets Notes: Simmons, Dinwiddie, Thomas, DSJ

January 22nd, 2024 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons hasn’t played since November 6, but the Nets remain optimistic he’ll be able to return at some point this season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons accompanied the team on its West Coast trip that wrapped up Sunday, and coach Jacque Vaughn said there were benefits to having him involved.

“I think just being able to be around at shootaround, being able to be in the film [review Saturday]. All those things matter as he starts to transition his way to being back on the floor, so that gap isn’t so huge for him,” Vaughn said. “Whether it’s different plays that we’re running from last time that he was in, whether it’s different schemes that we were running, if you aren’t around that it can be a lot when he does return. So overall just being able to be around the group and absorb some of that terminology and knowledge is best for us.”

Simmons has been limited to six games because of a back impingement, but the Nets are hoping it’s not another lost season for the former No. 1 overall pick, who has only been healthy for 48 total games since he was acquired nearly two years ago. Simmons’ agent said recently that he’s in the home stretch of his recovery, but Vaughn refused to speculate on when he might be available.

“I’m not gonna give you a step-by-step,” he said. “He’ll move on to that next step, which will be when we get home he’ll get examined again after this long five-hour flight and see how he responds to another week of basketball.”

There’s more on the Nets:

Trade speculation continues to surround Spencer Dinwiddie, who has broken out of his slump as the deadline nears, Lewis adds. The veteran guard posted 16 points and seven assists on Sunday and is averaging 18 points and six assists over the last three games. Lewis notes that Dinwiddie is believed to be willing to sign an extension with Brooklyn, but his $18.9MM expiring contract is useful if the team gets an opportunity to upgrade its roster.
Cam Thomas continues to be a dangerous weapon coming off the bench, but he admits that it’s easier to establish consistency on offense as a starter, Lewis notes in a separate story. Vaughn recently switched his starting lineup, opting for more size while moving Thomas to a sixth-man role. “Maybe it’ll change soon. I get back in the lineup, then you can see more consistency from me in the scoring part,” Thomas said. “But I’ve just got to do my job, man. Whatever he wants me to do. He wants me to come out of the bench, I’ve got to do that. If he wants me back starting, I’m more than open to do it. But it’s kind of tough, but I’ve just got to do my job.”
In a subscriber-only article, C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News looks at how Dennis Smith Jr. has evolved into a team leader since signing with Brooklyn last summer.

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