Inside Jacque Vaughn's Challenge to Cam Thomas

In Saturday's win over the Indiana Pacers, Cam Thomas was the star of the Nets. The very next game, the second-year guard was back on the bench in a much smaller role in Monday's win vs. the Washington Wizards. That's been the theme of Thomas' short tenure as a Net.

Before the last two contests against the Pacers and Wizards, Thomas only saw 9.2 minutes per game. His handfuls of minutes, which usually had the guard coming off the tail end of the bench, have also included seven DNPs. In the eyes of Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn, being ready when your number is called has been an issued challenge for the 21-year-old guard.

"It's an interesting task for him and a challenge for him," said Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn during his media availability Wednesday morning. "If we thought about it before the game, everyone was like Cam's gotta score 30 in this game for us to have a chance to win. And it happened. When we go into Washington, everyone's pretty much going to play tonight. Cam's probably not going to have 30. So now, what does that first and second possession look like for him? So that's the challenge I'm going to have for him."

When most believed Brooklyn waived the white flag against Indiana on Saturday night, Thomas had a different idea. Despite resting the stars and a heavy majority of their rotation, the guard splashed a memorable career-high 33 points (21 points in the fourth quarter) on 20 shots in 29 minutes off the bench to steal the road win.

Two days later, with the stars and key rotation players back in the lineup, Thomas dropped down the bench and saw 10 fewer minutes. In his 19-minute showing against the Wizards on Monday, he contributed five points on five shots. The Nets head coach is hoping his second-year guard can value his opportunities on the hardwood to help boost his long-term development.

"Value that first and second possession just the way you value the possession when you knew you want to have this ninth, 10th and 11th shot," Vaughn added on Thomas. "So can he get better as a player that way? And if he does, man, that is a huge step for a young guy: to be able to work towards this very first mid-range shot or penetration that I get, or jab three that I get. It is just as important that that fourth quarter shot. I had to take four shots in a row. That growth for him would be huge as a player."

Unlike other young players on championship contender teams, Vaughn is leaving the door open for Thomas instead of implementing him into a smaller, consistent bench role. The head coach is also not putting a heavy emphasis on utilizing part of the guard's game that was tested last season.

When Steve Nash was the head coach, he challenged Thomas consistently to become a facilitator to pair with his volume shooting. Vaughn, who was Nash's lead assistant, simply wants the guard to make the right play.

"I want him to make the right play," Vaughn stated. "Sometimes the right play is going to be shooting a mid-range, and I'm not going to frown on that. Sometimes the right play is to get to the rim and try to get fouled not going to frown on that. And sometimes the right play is you're gonna attract the defense now can you make the right play and drop it off to a big.

"I haven't put him in a lane where I'm grading him on how good he is as a facilitator. I want him just to be a hooper who makes the right choice. Sometimes three passes in a row is going to be the right choice. Sometimes three shots in a row is gonna be the right choice, and I'm okay with that."

Despite Thomas having to wait to take advantage of his opportunities, there aren't many second-year guards that have been able to be around all-time greats daily. Both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have held a big influence on Thomas. The stars appreciate Thomas' dedication to the game.

"That's been a huge development with our team. His wants and his desire to be the best basketball player that he can. I think that's a trait that Kevin appreciates," Vaugh said. "Kevin's a worker. And when he sees Cam at the same bucket with him working on his game and Cam working on his game at a different bucket, that means a lot when your peers see work on your game."