Rockets are thrilled! 47+44+43! The biggest catch in today's buyout market

With the trade deadline behind us, it’s now time for the buyout market to take center stage.

The Nets officially announced:They have waived Cameron Thomas...

Thomas, however, was unfazed and confidently stated in an interview with Andscape, "I'm thrilled to bring my skills to a new team. My next team will get an elite scorer, a great facilitator, and a talented two-way guard."

Born on October 13, 2001, standing 1.91 meters tall, Thomas was the 27th pick in the first round of the 2021 draft. Over four and a half years with the Nets, he has played 239 regular-season games, averaging 23.3 minutes, 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 turnovers per game. His shooting percentages stand at 43.5%, 34.3%, and 85.8%. In early 2023, he scored 40+ points in three consecutive games, tallying 44, 47, and 43 points respectively.

Clearly, Thomas is an elite scorer, but calling himself a playmaker is debatable. As mentioned, his NBA career averages only 2.2 assists per game as a guard, coupled with 1.5 turnovers, indicating significant room for improvement in his passing skills.

Players like Thomas, who prefer to take over games solo, are especially suited for the CBA as small foreign imports, where they can focus solely on scoring without other responsibilities.

Of course, considering Thomas is only 24 years old and has already shown exceptional scoring ability, it’s unlikely he would be ignored in the NBA now. According to reporter ScoopB,once entering the buyout market, he attracted interest from teams like the Cavaliers, Rockets, Timberwolves, Clippers, Raptors, Knicks, and Pacers.

Team reporter Binkley analyzed that since the Rockets currently have just $1.25 million below the hard cap, if they sign Thomas, his salary would likely not exceed $1.25 million, while other competitors might offer higher amounts.

Actually, this season, the amount Thomas earns is less important; what matters most is finding a new team that offers him ample opportunity to showcase his talent and post strong numbers, aiming for a big contract in the upcoming offseason.

So far this season, the Rockets hold a 31-19 record, ranking fourth in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the seventh-place Suns.