NBA Notes: Cam Thomas, Nets, Bucks, Doc Rivers, Celtics

Nets

All signs are pointing toward Cam Thomas and the Nets heading for an eventual split.

According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, most league observers expect Thomas to be moved either by the February 5 deadline or in the offseason, with the latter increasingly viewed as the more realistic outcome.

A deadline deal is complicated. Thomas effectively controls his destination after accepting his one-year, $6 million qualifying offer last summer, meaning he must approve any trade.

His market is also cold. Persistent hamstring issues have limited his availability over the past season and a half, and he is shooting a career-low 40.5 percent from the field.

Even if nothing happens now, Thomas is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He will do so with new representation, having recently left Octagon and agent Alex Saratsis for Thad Foucher of Wasserman. That alone signals a reset may be coming.

Bucks

Milwaukee finally stopped the bleeding Monday in Atlanta, snapping a three-game skid after coach Doc Rivers tweaked the starting lineup, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

Kevin Porter Jr. went to the bench. Kyle Kuzma went in. The results were fine, not revelatory. The new group was outscored by one point in 20 minutes, and Rivers admitted afterward that the look may not stick.

The thinking was size. Rivers also noted the second unit performed well across the board, singling out Pete Nance for a strong night. Experimentation continues.

Celtics

Boston keeps defying the odds, as written by Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

Even without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics are 26-16 and firmly in the mix. There is still no timetable for Tatum’s return from his Achilles injury, but progress is happening.

On Monday, Tatum went through a one-hour on-court workout with media present, a notable shift after months of rehab largely behind closed doors. Coach Joe Mazzulla deferred medical questions but acknowledged the optics mattered, per Jay King of The Athletic.

It was the clearest sign yet that Boston’s star is moving forward.