Lance Thomas
It’s been an uphill battle for Lance Thomas since he was traded to the New York Knicks. After being waived and getting a chance with a couple of 10-day contracts, Thomas proved that he could be an asset to the franchise, both on and off the court.
Though Thomas’s lack of creativity on offense and lackluster rebounding have been negatives to the team, he does contribute on the defensive side of the floor. He’s also been a consistent leader fpr the team.
Per Marc Berman of The New York Post, his energetic play style has even won the respect of his teammates, particularly center Enes Kanter:
"“I just want to give a lot of credit to Lance,’’ Enes Kanter said. “He just plays so hard, I love his energy and he’s always on us. He’s always talking about bringing us together. He’s one of the leaders — that’s why we picked him captain.”"
Thomas is portrayed as shown: A long and tough wing who’s capable of stretching the floor with his accuracy beyond the arc. And while the Knicks may be getting younger, they still need veteran leaders to guide the youth.
It would make more sense to waive Thomas next year, anyways, as he only has a partially guaranteed $1 million owed to him in 2019-20, per Spotrac.
Verdict: Lance Thomas should remain on the team for the remainder of the season, but should be waived before next season.