The Detroit Pistons are now officially listed as the favorites to sign restricted free agent Cam Thomas according to some betting platforms.
Thomas is currently in a stalemate with the Brooklyn Nets, who have the right to match any offer made to him but are not willing to outright offer him the money he wants ($30+ million per year). Some Pistons fans have even gone so far as to suggest trading Jaden Ivey for Thomas, which would be a huge mistake.
Even without shipping out Ivey, Thomas is not worth pursuing for the Pistons given the money he wants and the role they have to offer.
Cam Thomas makes no sense for the Detroit Pistons
Let’s start with the on-court fit. Thomas is used to playing a very ball-dominant role in Brooklyn, where he has been a primary option (in the games that he plays) since Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant left the team in 2023. In 110 games since those two were traded, Thomas has averaged 20.7 points per game and 2.8 assists per game with a usage percentage of 31.1 percent. That’s one of the highest usage rates in the league in that time, and you would like to see more playmaking out of a lead guard with that kind of usage.
Thomas has recently pushed back on the perception of him as an inefficient shot-chucker by rightfully pointing out that he was one of the most doubled players in the league last year. You can debate how much of that is due to the lack of other scoring options on the Nets and how much is due to teams gambling that he wouldn't want to pass, but it's fair to guess his efficiency and playmaking are concerns.
Cade Cunningham and Cam Thomas like to operate in similar spots on the floor along the perimeter and in the midrange, but I would much rather have the ball in Cade’s hands in pretty much any scenario.
There has been recent debate about Jaden Ivey's fit with Cunningham but the differences in their games allow Cade and Jaden to complement each other. On the other hand, Cam Thomas’ game does clash with Cade and his best role on the Pistons would be coming off the bench as a backup.
There isn't a big role available, which may not appeal to Thomas when he's choosing a team and is not one the Pistons are going to want pay big money for. The Nets would simply match any reasonable contract and keep him at a lowered price, and the actual money that Thomas does want is way too much to keep on your bench.
Cam Thomas is a gifted scorer with ridiculous tough shot-making ability. He is probably a little underrated in general right now but I just don’t see how he can fit on the Pistons, between his tricky financial situation and his actual on-court style.