Cam Thomas is widely regarded as one of the most talented young scorers in the NBA today. Despite his elite offensive skill set and production, Thomas has found himself falling out of favor with teams around the league.
After being waived by the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the trade deadline, Cam Thomas joined the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, this stint was short-lived, too. Needless to say, this raises some questions about the guard. On that note, Thomas’ former teammate, Michael Porter Jr., addressed the issue during a recent appearance on the “Road Trippin’ Show.”
While speaking about Thomas’ reputation and why things haven’t worked out for him in the NBA thus far, Porter Jr. shared:
“I don’t really know what the public narrative is about Cam. I know when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop and making tough shots, I know he’s one of the best… There’s a lot more to the NBA and sticking around than just that [scoring]. For Cam, I think it was a mixture of him being frustrated with a lot of things and also his personality.”
Michael Porter Jr. noted that Cam Thomas was a reserved individual, a personality trait that dated back to his high school days, according to Porter Jr.’s brother.
“He doesn’t really socialize,” he continued. “He’ll say like two words all day, all practice. He doesn’t really talk to anybody. I don’t think he does it in a way where he’s trying to be a bad teammate. I just think that’s him.”
“But when it comes to a team being willing to pay you and make you a number one option, it comes with so much more [responsibility]. I don’t know if he was willing to break out of his personality and be talkative, and try to be a leader, and try to bring guys together. I think that’s kind of what happened here in Brooklyn.”
During his time with the Brooklyn Nets, Cam Thomas was arguably the best scorer on the roster. By the 2023-24 season, he had grown by leaps and bounds, averaging 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field.
By the 2024-25 season, despite a hamstring injury, he looked ready to be the primary scoring option, having averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 43.8% shootig from the field.
Unfortunately, instead of growing into his role as a star-caliber player, Thomas found himself on the outside looking in, gradually falling out of the rotation.
“I know he was frustrated about the contract the year before,” Porter Jr. added. “Talent-wise, he’s thinking as if he’s as good as Austin Reaves, as good as Jalen Green, as good as this guy-that guy, and they’re getting paid $100 million contracts. I understand that part. But I knew when he left Brooklyn, over there in Milwaukee, he’d better change a couple of these things, or else it’s going to be tough for him.”
Needless to say, Porter Jr.’s fears were realized in Milwaukee.
Upon Cam Thomas’ arrival with the Bucks, the fans were in complete support of the young guard. Having dropped a stellar 34-point performance in just his second game, the guard seemed to have gained the favor of his new team.
However, this form didn’t last long. Only three games after his breakout performance, Cam Thomas notched three consecutive games with single-digit scoring. Although he came back strong with a 15-point game against the Bulls on March 1, the inconsistency had taken hold.
After 18 appearances for the Bucks, with averages of 10.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, Cam Thomas was waived again, his second time this season. While this may have been a result of his inconsistent performance, Porter Jr. mentioned that his reserved personality may have likely rubbed his teammates or the coaching staff the wrong way.
From being rated as a star-caliber prospect commanding an annual contract of $25-$30 million, Cam Thomas now finds himself outside the NBA. While there is no doubt that a player of his talent deserves a place in the league, the consensus suggests that unless he improves as a defender, teams may not be as inclined to sign him.
