Since signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cam Thomas has looked like a new player, and a big part of that might be the opportunity to play winning basketball again. Thomas himself alluded to this after a rousing win over the Pelicans, talking about how much he's missed being able to step on the court and have a chance to win.
"We've got to string together wins. That's what you live for playing in the NBA, playing meaningful basketball. That's what I missed playing for a long time. Playing meaningful basketball. Playing winning basketball. Happy to be here."
The Milwaukee Bucks aren't perfect, but they have a chance
Prior to signing with Milwaukee, Thomas spent his entire NBA career in Brooklyn, where they didn't do much winning. They made it to the playoffs twice in his tenure, but they were swept in the first round in each of those trips. Thomas wasn't a factor in either of those playoff runs, totaling 16 minutes over three games.
After missing the playoffs over the past two years and looking like they were bound to make it three, the Nets weren't giving Thomas the opportunity to compete. Once he was cut by Brooklyn, Thomas was likely thrilled that he had the sudden opportunity to go elsewhere and show what he could do in a winning environment for the first time in his career.
Sure, when Thomas signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, he knew he wasn't joining the roster of a clear-cut contender. Like Brooklyn, they've been out of the Play-In picture for a good chunk of the season. However, while the Nets remain laser-focused on the future, the Bucks continue making it loud and clear that they are still all-in on the present and making a playoff push.
Perhaps that added to Milwaukee's desirability to Thomas. Sure, he could have joined a contender further up in the standings and had an immediate better shot at contending. However, the idea of joining a team and helping them make a push had to be intriguing. It would give him the chance to show he can help a team contend rather than joining a surefire juggernaut. Early on, it's working.
Thomas has been a blessing for the Milwaukee Bucks' bench. In his four games with the franchise, he's now averaging 19.3 points while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor. Yes, it's a small sample size, and history says those numbers could regress, but this is the most comfortable Thomas has looked in a long time. That says something. It has plenty to do with playing winning basketball.
The guard still has another level to reach, as he's currently on a minutes limit due to a hamstring issue from his time with the Nets. Once he's off that, he can do even more for Milwaukee. It has to sting for the Nets to see this, especially with how sour things seemed when the two sides split.
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