Torpedoing Cam Thomas’ trade value
Admittedly, Thomas was always going to have a difficult time emerging as a top-shelf trade chip. His skill tree lacks branches beyond bucket-getting, and 6’3″, questionably efficient scoring specialists aren’t exactly the rage in the modern NBA.
All of that said, he’s a 24-year-old who’s averaging better than 21 points for the third consecutive campaign. Scoring-needy suitors should be calling by now.
And yet, “there simply isn’t” a trade market for Thomas, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, which could be due to Thomas’ contract status. Since the Nets failed to reach an extension agreement with him, they brought him back only on his one-year, $6 million qualifying offer, which includes an implied no-trade clause. So, he’s tricky to trade, unsigned beyond this season and perhaps due a big pay raise. Not exactly what you’d want from someone who should, at least in theory, be a trade asset.