Raptors: Why in the world is Matt Thomas not getting minutes?

If Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse can get criticized for anything in this unusual season, one can look at his rotation choices, as which players end up with more playing time off of the bench seem to be completely arbitrary. One player that has found himself squeezed out of playing time is shooting guard Matt Thomas, who has only played in nine minutes of game action since the first three games of the season.

Considering how the offense looked completely stagnant in the late stages of Toronto’s loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thomas has more than earned another shot to crack the Raptors’ rotation as they look to improve on a 7-11 start to the season.

Matt Thomas can provide the Toronto Raptors with expert outside shooting

Thomas figured to see an increase in playing time after averaging 4.9 points per game on a 47.5 percent clip from beyond the arc, as the lack of guard depth and the legal situation surrounding Terence Davis provided a perfect opportunity for Thomas to become a valued rotation player. Instead, after three straight losses to begin the year, the Raptors have relegated him to mop-up duty despite the fact that refusing to play him hasn’t completely turned things around.

Not only is Thomas, who proved his worth with the Raptors last year, an elite shooter that hit clutch shots with regularity last season, but last year proved that he is ready to scratch on defense, as his active hands and constantly-running motor helped key several fastbreak opportunities for Toronto. Not only is Thomas a quality three-and-D wing, but his turnover percentage remains among the lowest in the league.

The Raptors averaged 130 points per 100 possessions with Thomas on the floor last year, and that number has actually increased in 2020-21. It remains unclear what Thomas did to end up in Nurse’s doghouse, but Nurse needs to unleash him if he wants to right Toronto’s ship.

Thomas might not be the most athletically gifted player, but his shooting and defense can help a Raptors team in need of both of those things. Given his success as a rookie, Nurse’s reluctance to go back to him comes off as incredibly weird. While he wouldn’t fix all of Toronto’s issues at the moment, he could be trusted to hit some open three-pointers when called upon, and that trait could make him a valuable commodity.

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