Cam Thomas is arguably the worst defensive player this season

The Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly released Cam Thomas after a brief 18-game stint with the team. Remember, just last offseason, Thomas believed he was worth $30-40 million annually, and turned down a two-year, $30 million offer from the Nets . He bet on himself, and that has clearly backfired.

Everyone knows he can get buckets easily. His ability to create his own shot is something where there should be a market, at least somewhere in the league, right? Despite his scoring prowess, it should have been telling that the Nets were unable to find a market for Thomas.

They eventually waived him, and he signed with the Bucks. So why would a new team give up on him so quickly, considering he dropped 34 points in his Bucks debut in a win against the Orlando Magic? Bucks coach Doc Rivers was asked about the move to release Thomas, and he gave a somewhat diplomatic answer, stating that, because of where the Bucks were in the standings, the team wanted to focus on giving younger guys opportunities on the court, and that Thomas was someone they might revisit down the road.

But giving up on someone who could score at his level - while the team needs guys who can put points on the board - seems contradictory. One of the primary reasons could be found at the other end of the court: defense. Per our Global Defensive Rating metric - the same one that identified Victor Wembanyama as the runaway best defensive player in the league - Thomas ranked as the worst defender in the NBA among players with at least 40 games.