Cam Thomas has never been known for his defense. It's just not part of his arsenal. However, after a recent Milwaukee Bucks' win, a game in which Thomas poured in 34 points off the bench, Doc Rivers let it be known that he noticed Thomas' competitive fire on that side of the court. He told reporters, "Overall, he was fantastic, and he competed on the other end."
Sure, it's not much, but it's worth noting. Thomas is already a good player, but if the Milwaukee Bucks can get him to consistently compete on defense, he'll be even better.
Cam Thomas is competing on defense in Milwaukee
Thomas has heard the slander for years. "He's too small to play defense." "He'll get picked on." "All he cares about is points." These narratives have followed him throughout his five-year career. At times in Brooklyn, sure, it looked like it. Those claims didn't pop up out of nowhere. However, in the few games he's been in Milwaukee, he's quickly attempting to change the narrative. It's working.
He certainly won't end up on an All-Defensive team anytime soon, but Thomas looks bought in and engaged on that side of things. Being fresh into the system, he's still getting caught up with all of the Bucks' schemes. However, what can't be taught is effort. That's a given, and Thomas is showing he's willing to compete on that end if it contributes to winning.
If Thomas can come out of the All-Star break with this kind of fire, his importance to the Bucks will only grow. They absolutely need his scoring punch in the second unit, but as the team has seen in recent years with other small, undersized guards, no matter how much offense you can bring to the table, it won't matter if you're constantly picked on defensively. Thomas is trying to avoid that.
It's early. Thomas has only been in Milwaukee for three games. However, he certainly holds the crown for the biggest steal of trade and buyout season to this point. In a Bucks jersey, he's now averaging 16.7 points in under 20 minutes per game. If Milwaukee can get that type of production while also getting decent enough defense, Cam Thomas could legitimately become a needle-mover.
From ugly contract negotiations before the season to being cut by the Brooklyn Nets, Thomas seems to be motivated by how poorly this season has gone for him. That makes things all the better for the Milwaukee Bucks.
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