Cam Thomas signed the qualifying offer with the Brooklyn Nets for this season, and now, he should be a prime trade candidate for the Minnesota Timberwolves to consider. Adding him to a lineup that also includes Anthony Edwards may seem a bit repetitive, but giving the superstar another perimeter creator to work with could be an intriguing idea.
Look at what the Dallas Mavericks did for Luka Doncic. Pairing him with Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie, and a year later, Kyrie Irving, worked wonders. Thomas is a great scorer, and putting him next to Edwards in the Timberwolves’ rotation could take their offense to another level.
What would Thomas bring to the lineup?
How can Cam Thomas help the Timberwolves?
Edwards is obviously the guy in Minnesota. He’s going to be the face of the franchise for the next decade if things go well, so supporting him in any way possible should be a top priority for the Wolves.
At just 23 years old, Thomas is still young, with plenty of room for growth. And even at his age, he’s already one of the better young scorers in the NBA.
What’s even more impressive is that Thomas has spent the last couple of seasons playing without much help. There are very few players in the lineup who have been able to take the pressure off of Thomas.
Playing alongside Edwards would do that. The two perimeter scorers would create plenty of space for each other to work, and at this point, adding some extra guard talent could be smart for the Wolves.
They lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker this summer, and next to Edwards, their guard room consists of Mike Conley, Donte DiVincenzo, and Rob Dillingham. Even if Dillingham takes another step up this season, Conley is still entering the final years of his career.
Thomas is a proven scorer. He’s capable of putting up 20 points a night—he’s done so in each of the past two seasons. The Timberwolves should want to win right now, and he would help them do that.
Next season, Thomas will only be making $6 million, which the Wolves could absolutely match in a trade. If they attached enough assets to meet the Nets’ desires, bringing him on board could help lift them up in a crowded Western Conference.
For all of his flaws, whether they be on the defensive end or elsewhere, Thomas is an elite scorer. And having him in the rotation could drastically improve the Timberwolves’ offense, and perhaps most importantly, give them another go-to scoring option in the postseason.