CHARLOTTE -- When the Charlotte Bobcats invested $40 million in Tyrus Thomas in 2010 they envisioned him being a key building block in their foundation.

But the high-priced, seven-year NBA veteran has not lived up to expectations and barely sees the floor anymore.

He hasn't played in the team's last eight games, and has been declared inactive for the last six by first-year coach Mike Dunlap.

When Thomas has played he hasn't been particularly productive, shooting 32 percent from floor and averaging 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

One of the reasons Thomas isn't playing is because Dunlap wants to get younger players like Bismack Biyombo more experience. But Dunlap says that a lack of consistent effort has also played into the decision to sit the 6-foot-10 power forward.

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