Former NBA Player Defends Nets' Cam Thomas Amid Criticism

Yet so many people were berating Thomas for the same reasons as the last few years. 40 points is wildly impressive, but he did so on 11-for-25 shooting from the field with zero assists.

It's the reason why the Nets didn't give Thomas a lucrative contract this past summer. An offseason filled with drama, rebuilding and criticism from the media resulted in Thomas settling for the $6 million qualifying offer. Brooklyn's star will enter unrestricted free agency in 2026.

Austin Rivers, a former NBA player and current analyst for NBC, went on his podcast, Off Guard, to defend Thomas and his play style. He repeated what a lot of CT defenders have said, bringing up the lack of scoring from his teammates.

"In a league that's highlighted only scoring, we're having a problem with who's too good at scoring?" Rivers said. "Okay, why don't [the Nets] go pay someone else to pass the f****** ball.

"By the way, he just had 33 [points] and nine [assists] versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, so he is capable. On a night where no one could throw a rock in the ocean, why is he blamed for having zero assists? Why don't we talk about the 40 he had?"

Rivers continued to bring up that some of the league's best players off the bench, such as Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams, were never criticized for high-scoring, low-assist games.

However, if that's the comparison or bar for Thomas, then he simply can't be a franchise cornerstone worth upwards of $25 million per year.

Two things can be true at once. Yes, Thomas has a lack of scoring around him, which makes his assist numbers look poor. However, he is also a low-efficiency scorer who hasn't proven to have an impact on winning. The Nets are getting younger with rookies who are more prone to playmaking.