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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
This is going to sound like hyperbole, but Thomas is an elite shooter. I truly believe that Thomas might be one of the five or ten best shooters in the world. He shot 48% from three his rookie year on some really difficult attempts. However, Thomas has struggled this season and only hit 33% from three, and especially struggled after being traded to Utah.
At 6'5", Thomas is not able to shoot over defenders in the same way that Duncan Robinson is able to, but if he gets a sliver of daylight he has a good chance of knocking it down. His size also hurts him at the defensive end, as he can be a weakness that offenses would target in the playoffs. That's the main reason why he couldn't get consistent minutes for the Raptors in the 2020 playoffs, and did not get minutes for the Jazz in this year's playoffs either.
Although he only played seven minutes per game this season, I think there's a scenario where Thomas builds out something close to a J.J. Redick-like career. He moves well without the ball, and can make the simple pass that opens up due to his gravity. Thomas will already be 27 years old when the '21-'22 season starts, but I think he can be a rotational player.
Cap Considerations
Thomas's $1.8 million salary for 2021-2022 is non-guaranteed, and if he is waived he will become an unrestricted free agent and the Jazz will have no form of Bird rights on him. If he is waived, teams could claim him off waivers, but would need to fit his salary within cap space or an exception to do so, as his contract doesn't fit within the minimum salary exception as it was a three-year contract.
If Thomas becomes a free agent, other teams will have multiple ways to sign him as even teams without cap space could possibly use either of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or possibly even the Room MLE to sign him. However, I don't expect any offers for Thomas to be above the minimum.
Potential Teams: Jazz, Knicks, Pelicans, Bulls, Celtics
Predicted Contract: Not waived: $1.8 million
If waived: 1-year, $1.7 million with the Pelicans
Actual Contract: 1-year, $1.7 million (non-guaranteed) with the Bulls
Thomas was waived by the Jazz, and ended up only getting a non-guaranteed contract with Chicago, where he will have to prove himself in training camp to make the roster.
Last updated: 9/11/2021
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