When the Milwaukee Bucks signed Cam Thomas, the organization's general manager, Jon Horst, touted the former first-round pick as someone who would help the franchise contend this year and in future seasons.
After Thomas erupted for 34 points off the bench in his second game with the Bucks, Milwaukee's head coach, Doc Rivers, said that the former LSU star reminded him of two elite sixth men he coached on the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I've had Jamal Crawford. I had Lou Williams. And now, I have Cam Thomas," said Rivers post-game, per ESPN.
Just over a month later, the Bucks have waived the fifth-year guard, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Should the Celtics sign Cam Thomas?
The 24-year-old is an electric scorer. He's plenty capable of big nights like the one that prompted the praise he received from Rivers. However, he isn't a fit for the Boston Celtics.
Thomas is at his best with the ball in his hands. To get the most out of him requires making him a high-usage player. That role isn't available in Boston.
Furthermore, while one might want to compare him to Anfernee Simons, who fit in well with the Celtics, there are three significant differences. The first is that Simons is a much better shooter. He buried 39.5 percent of the 6.7 threes he hoisted while with the C's. Conversely, Thomas is a career 34 percent three-point shooter. That conversion rate comes while averaging 4.1 attempts. This season, he shot 32.5 percent from long range while with the Brooklyn Nets. In 18 appearances with the Bucks, he shot a frigid 27.5 percent while launching 2.5 triples per contest.
Along with not offering the same reliability as Simons from behind the arc, he isn't the same caliber of playmaker as the latter. Lastly, Jayson Tatum's return reduces the need for another primary ball-handler. While Simons had a lot of supporters with the Celtics, that development mitigated what Boston was losing offensively when the organization traded him to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic.
Thomas can score, and he has some play-making chops. However, it's fair to wonder how accepting he would be of the type of role the Celtics could offer him. Furthermore, how would he respond on the court to an opportunity that could come with inconsistent playing time and fewer touches than he has grown accustomed to?
Perhaps his humbling endings in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, coupled with the chance to compete in Boston, would lead to him finding success in a role where that's difficult for a player of his profile to attain. However, the Celtics don't need to take that risk, even if Thomas is open to signing up to find out.
Instead, with Max Shulga signed to a standard two-year contract earlier this month, when Charles Bassey's 10-day deal expires, the organization will likely go in a different direction other than bringing Thomas aboard.
That could result in converting Ron Harper Jr. from a two-way deal to a standard contract. However, it would make sense to wait so that he only counts on the books for the last regular-season game or as few as possible. That patience will help the Celtics finish this league year under the luxury tax.
The anticipation that Harper claims Boston's 14th roster spot in time to become playoff eligible further signals how unlikely it would be to see them sign Thomas. Given how narrowly the Celtics project to avoid going back over the luxury tax, entering the postseason with 15 players on standard deals would come as a shock. So, unless he's open to staying on a two-way deal, which seems improbable, it would be a brief partnership that isn't set up to be successful.