Name recognition goes far in the NBA. A good game in a postseason run, an All-Star appearance from before COVID, or hitting a big shot with a lot of people watching can understandably bamboozle many into not looking at a player and their accomplishments, both from a holistic and recent perspective.

Take Bones Hyland, for example. He had a massive game in his rookie year when Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid were facing off down the stretch of the 2021-2022 regular season with the MVP award on the line, and years later, people still are talking about it despite the turn his career has made.

Heck, I was with a friend recently, a Philadelphia 76ers fan for full transparency, and he referenced the game to explain why Embiid doesn’t have two MVPs. Despite now being on his third team in four seasons, Hyland has many supporters across the media and NBA fans, despite his recent struggles, inconsistent minutes, and small defensive frame, and he has that strong game to thank him for that.

Narratives are everything in the NBA, and it’s why Cam Thomas, who was recently waived by the Brooklyn Nets after the Trade Deadline, has a ton of support even as a polarizing player. Just 24 years old with multiple seasons averaging 22+ points per game under his belt, Thomas has many fans, even with the glaring holes in his game.

He’s got a lot of scoring potential and actualizes it. He’s the youngest player in NBA history to have three-straight 40-point games. Even so, the Phoenix Suns should not consider signing Cam Thomas, no matter if Devin Booker and Jalen Green remain out of the lineup or return soon.

One of the reasons, arguably the main reason Phoenix has been good this year has been chemistry. You can see it in postgame interviews when members of the team bombard the star of the game in their postgame chat, on the bench when the team makes a strong defensive play or hits a huge three, and how unselfish the team plays on the court with both their willingness and eagerness to share success.

Cam Thomas would hinder this.

The Suns made it clear at the deadline that they believe in their core. Recent acquisitions Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony are buried deep in the depth chart, and the impetus for Phoenix trading for them was to get under the tax for the first time since the 2021-2022 campaign and create room to sign a 15th player, which will presumably be used to convert Jamaree Bouyea’s two-way deal into a standard contract.

A score-first, ball-dominant player, Thomas doesn’t fit the mold of basketball that the Suns play under Jordan Ott. The team relies heavily on ball movement and even when he’s got it going, the guard is a ball stopper, and while fans may be frustrated with Jalen Green’s injury issues since becoming a Sun, both he and Thomas entered the league the same season, and 60% of Green’s seasons he’s played at least 76 games, while Thomas has not hit that mark once.

With him on a one-year deal after taking the qualifying offer from the Nets before the year, Thomas is looking to be paid and restore his value with a new team, the Suns wouldn’t offer that to opportunity to him without restructuring the rotations they’ve used to get them ten games above .500 and be one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this year.

Additionally, many Nets fans have questioned Thomas’ body language and effort this season.

The Suns are a flawed team and have their fair share of struggles recently, with Green and Booker out. Last game against the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix would have definitely benefited from another ball handler, but Cam Thomas is not that guy.