The New York Knicks need scoring depth badly, especially in the second unit. They rank dead last in bench points per game with just 20.3 despite being one of the league’s top offenses overall.
The Knicks could target Nets’ star Cam Thomas
New York made a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason to acquire Mikal Bridges for a flurry of draft picks. They could be trade partners again for the Nets’ best player, Cam Thomas. The Athletic’s Sam Amick suggested that the volume scorer is considered to be available in trade talks.
“Fourth-year gunner Cam Thomas (24.6 points per game) failed to come to terms on an extension and is widely considered to be available, but Brooklyn’s list of possibilities hardly ends there,” Amick wrote.
Thomas has been one of the league’s top scorers this season
With Brooklyn entering a rebuild, Thomas has broken out as one of the game’s top scorers. Along with his 24.6 points per game, he is shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.2% from three. He has five games with at least 30 points this season, including a 43-point performance against the Knicks last week.
When Bridges was still with Brooklyn, Thomas was mostly a bench player, but he grew into a starter last season making 51 starts in 66 total games. He averaged 22.5 points per game last season. This year, he started the season as the Nets’ top gun on offense and has flourished.
The Knicks have a loaded starting five, so unless a deal with Thomas were to send a starter the other way, he would have to revert back into a bench role if he were to get traded to New York. Therefore, a trade for Thomas is not exactly a necessity for the Knicks since they wouldn’t be able to maximize his role.
However, Thomas’ play style is perfect for the bench, as he has the capability to light it up from anywhere on the court and catch fire. If he were to be willing to play in that same role, New York should pounce on the opportunity to add a high-level scorer.
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Thomas would elevate the Knicks offense, but New York needs defense
The Knicks could use a huge spark like Thomas off of their bench. Miles McBride and Cameron Payne have been serviceable off the bench, but Thomas would give their depth a whole new dimension. However, Brooklyn tends to sell high on their players, and it may not be worth it for New York to give up valuable assets for a player who has no starting spot.
Additionally, Thomas is a very poor defender, so the scoring becomes moot. The Knicks have also been a poor defensive team this season, meaning that they should prioritize players that can have a positive impact on that side of the floor as opposed to scoring.
New York has enough scoring, as all five starters are averaging at least 14 points per game and they have the second-highest offensive rating in the NBA at 123.0. While Thomas would take their scoring to the mountaintop, they need to make improvements defensively before they can address the offense.
