ORLANDO – Cam Thomas was all smiles as the Milwaukee Bucks wrapped up their morning shootaround in Orlando on Feb. 9, as the newest member of the team got his feet wet after officially signing as a free agent on Feb. 8.
Thomas was in New York after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 5 when he got the call to join the Bucks, and said he arrived in Orlando on Feb. 7. The 24-year-old was told the Bucks had been interested in him for some time, but his release from the Nets after over four-plus seasons allowed him to sign as an unrestricted free agent.
“That definitely plays a part in your decision to go somewhere,” Thomas said. “So I really felt wanted by the guys. I talked to (head coach) Doc (Rivers) before, it was a great conversation. And then, just seeing the team, I feel like I can help contribute and really just blend in and be one of the guys.”
Thomas signed a one-year, $5.9 million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent with Brooklyn this season after he couldn’t come to a long-term agreement with the Nets. He played just 24 games with Brooklyn, shooting a career-low 39.9% from the field overall and 32.5% from behind the 3-point line.
“I don’t want to get into specifics about the decision to be waived, but at the end of the day I’m just happy to be here, happy to be a Buck, happy to help,” he said. “And, to your point, it’s been a crazy season. Missed a couple games but I’m ready to go, happy to be here. I’d probably say that’s been the word of the season, ‘adversity.’ Trying to overcome adversity and come out on top.”
Drafted No. 27 out of LSU in the 2021 draft by the Nets, Thomas developed into a prolific scorer. After playing under 18 minutes per game off the bench in his first two seasons from 2021-23, he played over 31 minutes per game from 2023-25 and averaged 22.9 points per game while shooting 35.9% from behind the 3-point line.
He started 74 of the 91 games he played in those two seasons under three different head coaches in Brooklyn.
“It’s crazy, man,” Thomas said. “Being somewhere for five years you get comfortable there, you love it there, but at the end of the day it’s still a business. And, you now, it’s new beginnings. Happy for the opportunity, happy everybody is embracing me, everybody is happy I’m here, everybody wanted me. So, I feel great and can’t wait to get on the court and help win.”
With Giannis Antetokounmpo set to miss his 21st game of the season against the Magic on Feb. 9, the Bucks have had struggles scoring and it would appear Thomas will be able to help in that regard, but he said his immediate role had yet to be filled in.
“It’s really just about picking up the playbook and the schemes defensively,” Thomas said of his immediate focus in joining the team. “But at the end of the day Doc’s always said, in the conversations we had, just he’s gonna let me play, he’s gonna let me be me, but at the same time just be smart with it. He said that, just be smart with it.
“So, I mean, I feel great about it. I feel great about everybody, happy to be here and I can’t wait to go.”
Thomas hasn’t played since Feb. 3, when he logged 23 minutes in a Nets loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he missed 20 games between Nov. 7-Dec. 23 with a strained left hamstring. It was an injury that forced him to miss significant time in the 2024-25 season as well, but he said he’d be ready to play against the Magic if needed.
“If needed, if needed,” he said. “I don’t know the plan (vs. Orlando on Feb. 9). They’re still just figuring everything out, talking to me, but I’m a hooper. I’m ready at all costs and at all times, so that’s not even a problem.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks guard Cam Thomas ready for ‘new beginnings’ in Milwaukee
Reporting by Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
