The Milwaukee Bucks just added another scoring punch to their backcourt, agreeing to a deal with 24-year-old guard Cam Thomas. Recently waived by the Brooklyn Nets, Thomas now joins a Bucks team that’s been searching for consistent offensive firepower behind Giannis Antetokounmpo - and they may have found it in one of the league’s most natural bucket-getters.
Thomas, who signed a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer with Brooklyn last offseason to end his restricted free agency, is averaging 15.6 points per game this year. While his shooting splits - 39.9% from the field and 32.5% from deep - suggest some inefficiency, the scoring talent is undeniable. Over the past three seasons, he’s put up 21.4 points per game, showing he can fill it up when given the green light.
This isn’t a fluke. Thomas has proven he can catch fire in a hurry - just ask the Clippers, who watched him torch them for a career-high 47 points back in February 2023. That kind of microwave scoring is exactly what Milwaukee could use, especially in a playoff setting where bench production and shot creation become premium commodities.
So why Milwaukee? According to Thomas, the Bucks have been circling for a while.
“I picked Milwaukee because they wanted me and they told me they’ve been interested for years now,” he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“So, it’s good to have this opportunity come to fruition. And I’m just hoping to meet everybody, get to know everybody and contribute as soon as possible.”
That’s the kind of mindset that should click well in a locker room led by Giannis, who continues to be the engine for everything Milwaukee does. Thomas now joins a roster headlined by a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, and 10-time All-Star - a player who’s averaging 24.0 points, 9.9 boards, 5.0 assists, and remains one of the most dominant two-way forces in the league.
But the Bucks haven’t exactly lived up to expectations since hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2021. Despite that championship run, they’ve fallen in the first round of the playoffs for three straight years. That kind of postseason frustration has led to some noise around Antetokounmpo’s future - including trade interest from teams like the Heat, Timberwolves, and Warriors at the recent deadline.
Milwaukee, however, shut down those talks and instead made a smaller move, sending Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to Phoenix in exchange for Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis. All signs point to the Bucks doubling down on their core - and Thomas could be a sneaky piece in that plan.
At just 24 years old, the LSU product still has room to grow. He’s already shown flashes of elite scoring ability and now lands in a situation where he won’t be asked to carry the offensive load, but instead complement it. Playing off Giannis should open up cleaner looks and give Thomas the kind of spacing he rarely saw in Brooklyn.
This is a low-risk, high-upside move for a team that’s still chasing another title. If Thomas finds his rhythm in Milwaukee, the Bucks might have just added a key rotation piece for the stretch run - and maybe beyond.