Bobby Portis just admitted something everyone watching the Bucks already knew: Cam Thomas didn't necessarily fail in Milwaukee because of his play, even if there were some valid concerns about his effort on the defensive side of the ball. He failed because he wasn't in a situation that set him up for success in the first place.
More than that, Portis believes Thomas was almost set up to fail in his Bucks tenure because the entire organization was a disaster all season long.
Talking on Run it Back on FanDuel TV, Portis didn't sugarcoat what he believes happened to Thomas during his short stint in town.
"He probably just fell into a situation where he just fell into the chaos of everything on. You know, Cam's a good dude. He don't say two words at all. He might say ten words a week," Portis said.
Cam Thomas 'fell into the chaos' of the Milwaukee Bucks' season
That was likely Bobby Portis diplomatically saying Milwaukee's organizational dysfunction swallowed another victim. Thomas came in, tried to contribute, and got caught in the crossfire of a franchise imploding in real time.
"I just hate what happened to Cam. When you're a pro and you understand the dynamics of being a pro, you obviously, you know, root for other guys on your team to do good and have success especially if you're teammates. In your career, you're going to have a hundred-plus teammates, so obviously you want to see guys win...I think that something good is down the line coming towards him that'll come into fruition for him, but he's got to keep his head down and keep working," Portis finished.
The timeline makes it worse, especially for Thomas, who was waived by Brooklyn, picked up by Milwaukee, played maybe ten games total, then got waived again. That's brutal for any player's confidence and career trajectory. You go from thinking you found a stable situation to being unemployed twice in a month.
Portis emphasizing Thomas' demeanor heading into this situation is quite telling, too. That means that the Bucks veteran didn't see some diva demanding shots or causing locker room problems. To Portis at least, Thomas kept his head down, did his job, and still got cut because Milwaukee's chaos consumed him anyway, even when there were reasons for things to work out.
The 34-point explosion Thomas had feels like a lifetime ago now. He showed he could score at an elite level when given the opportunity, then the Bucks decided that opportunity wasn't worth continuing despite offloading Cole Anthony for him initially. Whether that's about fit, finances, or just organizational panic, we'll probably never know for sure.
Could this actually be it for Cam Thomas' NBA career?
Whether or not "something good is down the line" or not remains to be seen, but to this writer, that prediction from Portis feels like wishful thinking.
Sure, Thomas has legitimate NBA talent, and maybe another team with an actual plan might give him the stability Milwaukee couldn't provide. Maybe he does just need to land somewhere that isn't actively falling apart.
On the other hand, Thomas' tenure did leave a lot to be desired towards the end, considering the Bucks did still give him opportunities that the Brooklyn Nets never could. His effort on the defensive end was often called into question, and if his performances in practice weren't enough to get him minutes, then the coaching staff likely saw something the fans couldn't.
Bobby Portis saying the quiet part out loud confirms what we all suspected. Cam Thomas didn't fail in Milwaukee. Milwaukee failed Cam Thomas by being such a dysfunctional mess that even talented players with good attitudes can't survive the chaos.
In the grand scheme of things, Thomas was just another casualty of the Bucks' disaster season. What's worse is he may not be the last either.