Thomas joins the Bucks, seeking to reignite his career and contribute immediately.
The Milwaukee Bucks added a new face to their roster over the weekend, and Cam Thomas is already making it clear he wants to be there.
The 24-year-old guard signed a veteran minimum deal with the Bucks on Sunday after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets following the trade deadline, and in his first comments as a member of Milwaukee, Thomas sounded like a player ready for a new chapter.
"It's new beginnings," Thomas said on Monday. "Happy for the opportunity. Happy that everybody is embracing me. Everybody's happy that I'm here. Everybody wanted me. So, I feel great. Can't wait to get on the court and help win."
Why Thomas Chose Milwaukee
Thomas spent nearly five seasons with the Nets after Brooklyn selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and across his final three years there, he averaged 21.4 points per game while building a reputation as one of the league's most gifted shot-makers.
But things went south this season after a hamstring strain cost him 20 games, and his role shrank when he returned to a Brooklyn team focused on developing its young core.
In 24 games coming off the bench, Thomas put up 15.6 points and 3.1 assists on career-low shooting splits of .399/.325/.843.
The Nets tried to find a trade partner but came up empty, and they waived Thomas shortly after the deadline passed.
He said Milwaukee was the easy choice because the front office had wanted him for years. "I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they've been interested for years now," Thomas told Andscape's Marc Spears. "So, it's good to have this opportunity come to fruition."
What the Signing Signals for Milwaukee
The Bucks enter this week at 21-30 and sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, a far cry from where anyone expected them to be.
Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been putting up 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 30 games, remains sidelined with a right calf strain and has no timetable for a return.
Milwaukee chose not to trade him at the deadline, and instead the front office is trying to build around the two-time MVP for a second-half push toward the Play-In Tournament.
That is where Thomas fits in. The Bucks rank 27th in the NBA in scoring, and they need someone who can create his own shot and put the ball in the basket with Antetokounmpo out of the lineup.
Thomas made his debut on Monday night in Orlando, scoring four points in 13 minutes during a 118-99 loss to the Magic that snapped Milwaukee's three-game winning streak.
It was a quiet start, but he should see more minutes as he gets comfortable in Doc Rivers' system.
When Antetokounmpo does return, the pairing could bring out the best in both players.
Having a dominant inside presence like Giannis who draws extra defenders could open up the kind of space a scorer like Thomas thrives in, and Thomas could help take some of the scoring weight off the former MVP's shoulders.
Whether it all comes together for a playoff push remains to be seen, but the Bucks are betting that a motivated Cam Thomas on a minimum deal is well worth the risk.