The Milwaukee Bucks cut Cam Thomas to make room for Pete Nance on the standard roster, but that doesn't mean he's gone for good. Before Milwaukee's matchup with the LA Clippers, Doc Rivers was asked about waiving Thomas, describing it as a difficult move by highlighting his decent overall play, which could potentially lead to another opportunity down the road.
"I thought Cam was really good overall, and he may be somebody we revisit."
Of course, Rivers could just be trying to say all of the right things. He's been known to do that here and there. However, there's also a possibility that Rivers isn't doing so. Perhaps he really thinks that Thomas could make a return to Milwaukee at some point. It feels more feasible that Thomas could return rather than Rivers coming back next season, but that's a story for a different time.
A Cam Thomas reunion? Perhaps down the line
The Milwaukee Bucks were clearly fond of Cam Thomas. They were reportedly exploring ways to land him for years. When the opportunity presented itself to sign him via the buyout market, it probably felt like a dream come true. Even if they cut him now, perhaps a scenario will arise where they aim to take a closer look at him once again.
Yet, no one will judge the Bucks if they hold off. While Thomas can score in bunches, that's about all he provides. He's a small guard lacking in passing chops or defensive instincts. That type of player is on the cusp of going extinct in today's NBA. These days, the best teams are the ones with players who do a little bit of everything rather than just focus on one area.
Thomas' NBA future could very well be in jeopardy. Sure, someone might take a flyer on him this coming summer, but it's far from a guarantee. His time with the Milwaukee Bucks was his chance to show why he deserved a big payday because he could play winning basketball, and that's simply not what transpired.
The Cam Thomas experiment reached head-scratching conclusion
Even if he had fallen out of Milwaukee's rotation in recent games, cutting Thomas was still a shocking move, given his prior strong showings. Though inconsistent, he produced more than Andre Jackson Jr., the player many thought would be cut to promote Nance, did all season. Yet, it appears the Bucks wanted to keep their former draft pick in town to see if they could get him going.
Interestingly, when asked what contributed to the decision to bench Thomas in recent games, Doc Rivers told reporters, "there are things we don't need to talk about." That's certainly vague and raises eyebrows. In all likelihood, Rivers didn't want to detail Thomas' shortcomings in front of a handful of reporters shortly after he was just cut loose.
Thomas' next stop is uncertain, but Rivers isn't ruling out a return to the Bucks.
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